Bittersweet and Strange
by Bubble Wrapped Kitty
Summary: AU. Desperate to get his cousin Audrey out of London during the height of the German Blitz, Dwight Hendrickson is forced to make a dangerous deal with the mysterious owner of Haven House. Trapped in the northern castle while her cousin is deployed, Audrey learns that there is more to her dark host, and maybe even something worth staying for after all. (B&tB with Haven characters).
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_Bellingham, Northumberland, England - July 1940_

The wooden cart jostled along on the dirt track that cut its way through the towering green forest. Conrad Brauer flicked the whip sharply in the air and the noise urged the old mare to quicken her pace. Not bothering to be subtle, the older man glanced sideways down at his passenger. He was a wee wisp of a thing, couldn't be more than eight years old, and he was huddled down in his wool coat as he stared around at the unfamiliar landscape with wide eyes. The boy – the tag attached to the buttonhole of his coat said his name was Henry – was supposedly some great-nephew of the woman whose house he tended, and he'd been evacuated to the countryside because of the war.

Conrad frowned distastefully. He wasn't looking forward to having a wee bairn around to look after. He was getting too far on in years to bother with the noisy things.

The mare snorted loudly and beside him Henry jumped in alarm. Conrad chuckled. "Twitchy wee mouse, incha?" he remarked in amusement. The little thing didn't respond, simply gazing up at him with those bulbous eyes. Conrad mused that he looked a bit like a pale white frog. "Where you from 'gain, boy?"

Henry stared at him for so long Conrad thought he mightn't answer, and then he finally squeaked out, "Leeds, sir."

Conrad wrinkled his nose with disgust and didn't waste the energy in lowering his voice when he murmured, "City brat." He had never been fond of children, but he especially detested those from the cities. At least the ones who'd grown up in the country knew how to take care of themselves and their land. City brats were too soft, too cultured to be worth anything. "Don't 'spect none of that posh rubbish out here," he chided the boy. "None of them tellies or moving pictures. Out here we do things proper. Live off the land, we do."

"In this big ol' wood?" Henry asked and his voice quavering as he looked up at the enormous trees. Conrad reckoned he'd probably never seen 'em so big before.

"Deep in," he agreed proudly. "Wee li'l collection o' houses and farms in the forest, that's where we be stayin'."

"What about the bears? And the wolves and such?" Henry asked with pure, unmasked terror.

Conrad snorted. "Bears an' wolves the least your problems, boy," he said simply. At the horror-struck look on Henry's face, Conrad grinned and continued. "Ain't you neva heard about The Beast of Bellingham Wood?"

"The Beast?" Henry echoed, his pitchy voice barely above a whisper, as if saying it louder might call the monster to them.

"Well sure, everyone 'round here knows 'bout the Beast," Conrad said with an affirming nod. "Story goes there's a monster what lives in one o' the ol' manor houses deep in these 'ere woods. Haven House, it is. Just a few miles from where we live. Says he used to be a man, once, long time ago, but his heart was so evil that the nature spirits turned him into a monster to match his soul. A wolf bigger than any bear, with great big fangs and claws the size of your hand. But the eyes, he still got the eyes o' a man. An' now he prowls these woods at night looking for wee lost souls to gobble up."

On the bumpy bench the little boy had cowered down inside of his coat until all Conrad could see was his enormous blue eyes and his forehead which has bleached to a ghostly white. Conrad barked out a laugh and urged the mare on quicker again. "We'll be comin' up on that house 'ere soon, there look," he said and pointed ahead to where a second trail broke away from the road they were on.

It was hardly more than a dusty narrow walking track, barely wide enough for a small cart to travel down, and the trees were woven together over it like the entrance to a gaping tunnel. An unnatural darkness seemed to hover over the area as if night had fallen early there. Conrad wouldn't admit it to the kid, but the place had always made chills race up the back of his neck whenever he passed it.

"That's where the monster lives?" Henry asked and instinctively shrank closer to Conrad' side.

"Straight up there," Conrad concurred in a growl. He was having fun teasing the kid about the stupid old village story, but that didn't mean he wanted the kid curling up with him like a bleedin' cat. He had a perimeter about himself that he liked to maintain. He nudged the kid back to his proper spot with his elbow. "If you look up there when we pass you can see a bit o' the house from 'ere."

The horse grew agitated as they reached the side path and she snorted, speeding up of her own accord for once. They hardly caught a glimpse of the house before the cart had passed, just enough to see a few dark, sinister details. The abandoned house was enormous and ancient, almost reminiscent of the castles that had once dotted the area, made of stones and wood so dark they were almost black. There were gargoyles on the towers and no life visible on the rolling green acres of land beyond the great black gate.

The house slid out of view as the cart rolled on and the boy let out a small squeak, huddling in on himself. "I don't want it to eat me," he muttered in fear.

"Then you keep an eye out, boy-o," Conrad said. "You don't need to worry about no wolves or bears, but you see a great hulkin' beast with the eyes of a man – sad, angry eyes bluer 'an the sea, they say – you run for your bloody life."

"You think he's sad?" the boy asked curiously, his head tipping to the side like a dog.

"I never seen him, but that's what they say 'round the village," Conrad said with a shrug. He honestly didn't think anyone had really seen that monster if it really existed. No one met up with a beast that big in the woods and lived to tell stories about it. "Old eyes full o' sad and pain and anger."

Henry had pulled the collar of his coat down slightly, looking as pensive as a wee little thing could, and then said, "I'll bet he's lonely. That's it. He pro'lly just wants mates, but no one will play with him 'cause he's scary looking." He looked up at Conrad with his eyes narrowed thoughtfully and asked, "Do you know how he can break the curse? The one the spirits put on him? Can't he turn back to normal?"

Conrad stared at the kid in awe and then chortled loudly. "This ain't no fairy tale, kid," he said, shaking his head. "Just a story 'bout a big beast that lives around here. It ain't lonely, and it ain't gonna be no-one's mate. It'll eat ya as soon as look at ya. There ain't no happy ever afters 'round here."

As the cart rounded the curve of the road into their little village, the sun was just beginning to set and the shadows had thickened on the trees. The lights from the cluster of houses and farms were the only things to break the settling darkness and Conrad felt relieved to be home. He was stiff from sitting on the cart bench all day and wanted nothing more than a nice glass of brandy before bed.

The missus of the house, Marion, walked out to greet them as Conrad pulled the cart up beside the little manor and he tipped his head at her respectfully. " 'Ere he is, ma'am," he said, lifting the boy down from the cart and setting him on the grassy patch in front of the house.

"Thank you, Conrad," she said with a small smile. "Come along – Henry, was it? – let's get you settled."

"And don' forget, boy," Conrad called after them with a gruff laugh. "Keep an eye out for The Beast, yeah?"

In the distance, a long, mournful howl split through the growing darkness.


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

_London, England - Mid-September 1940_

It was midday and the streets of east London were packed with people. Housewives were out doing their shopping and men in uniform patrolled the roads, occasionally stopping to flirt with the younger women that they passed. Despite the boarded windows and the perpetual gray haze that hung in the air, life continued to spin on in the downtrodden city.

Slipping out of the small flat she shared with her older cousin, Audrey Parker drew her coat tighter around her body to ward off the autumn chill. She locked up and then opened the book she carried tucked beneath her arm, finding the place where she'd left off. By the time she rounded the corner, her nose was buried in the pages and her mind was in a world far away.

The people of the neighbourhood knew well enough to steer out of her way as she walked the habitual path to work. Although the locals knew not to waste their breath, a few of the soldiers called out friendly greetings to her that went ignored.

"Don't feel bad, mate," the man in charge of the fruit stand said to a dejected looking young private. "She's a bit of an odd one. If she's got a book in her hands, can't nobody get her 'ttention."

"It's true," the woman buying apples chimed in. "One time I seen her walk out right in front of a truck. Didn't even notice. Good thing that driver was lookin' or poor Hendrickson would be all on his own."

The soldier smiled, his eyes not leaving the girl as she wound her way expertly through the crowd. "I'll just have to catch her without a book then," he said confidently.

The older two exchanged glances and laughed. "Good luck with that," the man said.

Audrey's mind was full of princesses and knights as she reached her destination. The bell above the bookshop door jingled brightly as she pushed it open with one hand, the other marking her place in the pages. "Mr. Teagues, I'm here," she called into the quiet store, her voice echoing off through the rows of shelves.

"Ah, Audrey, lovely," came the reply. "They brought by another box of those pamphlets, would you mind putting them out?"

Audrey crossed to the desk tucked into the corner of the store and set down her worn book. Behind the counter was a little box filled with folded sheets of paper covered in bold prints. She couldn't help but frown as she read their headlines.

**_Bomb Shelter Necessities_**

**_When You Hear the Sirens..._**

**_Always Remember your Gas Mask!_**

It was not a good time to be in Britain.

Audrey took the stacks of papers and began arranging them in the little rack by the front desk that had previously housed the rare and special books. Those, to her chagrin, had been banished to a shelf much farther back, safely tucked where they were less likely to be stolen. The hard times had left people desperate for the money to support their families. More than one place had been looted recently. She felt sure the only reason they'd been spared so far was that people undervalued books.

"Audrey, this war is going to put us out of business if it keeps up." Vince Teagues emerged from between the shelves, wiping his dusty hands on his trousers. He was a large man, with a tangled mane of steel gray hair and sad eyes. "No one's interested in books when there's a war on our doorstep. Haven't sold a single thing so far today. Only person who's stayed more than thirty seconds was that little council boy who delivered the pamphlets, and I reckon it was just to get out of the cold for a minute."

"Things will pick up," Audrey said reassuringly.

"At this rate, the only way we'll sell a thing is if we start printing some German dictionaries."

"Don't talk like that," she said indignantly.

"It's hard not to think it sometimes," Vince said, but his bitter anger had turned to resignation. "Nazis on our borders, bombs falling from the skies, and all our families ripped apart." Audrey put a comforting hand on his arm; his brother, considerably younger than Vince, had been deployed a year prior and letters were slow in coming. "I'm beginning to wonder if this madness will never end."

"We will win this," Audrey said certainly. Vince raised an eyebrow at her questioningly. "You've read the books. No matter how hard it gets, good always wins in the end."

The bookkeeper chuckled and squeezed her shoulder fondly. "Oh how would it be if we could all see the world through your eyes, love," he said with a smile. "We'd all be the better for it, surely." He sighed wearily and then shook his head. "If you'll watch the counter, I'll be back in the office. I need to balance the books and see if we're going to last another month. Call if you need me."

"Yes, sir," she said cheerfully with a mock salute. She slid around to take a seat on the stool behind the front desk, and the moment her employer had vanished into his office she retrieved her book, diving straight back into the adventure. The slow business might be bad for the shop, but it left her with plenty of time for reading, which was her favourite pastime in any case.

The hours passed by in a blur for Audrey as the sun crept down toward the horizon. She only withdrew from her book whenever the bell signalled that someone had come into the store. For the most part people simply browsed wistfully and then left, sometimes collecting a pamphlet on the way. Beatrice came in and bought an old copy of a Dickens' and then stayed to talk to her for a while, telling Audrey about the latest letter she'd received from her sons who were currently deployed somewhere on the south coast. Closer to sunset a pair of soldiers bought a cheap American novel, although they had seemed much more interested in her than the book. It took a long string of polite rejections and dismissals before they finally got the hint and left, forgetting the book they'd paid for on the counter.

She had only just gotten back into her book when suddenly a large hand covered the pages. "Hello there, darlin'."

Audrey bit back her exasperated sigh. Only one man interrupted her that rudely. And of course his American drawl was very distinctive in the city. Putting on a neutral smile, she looked up. "Good day, Captain Allred."

The man across the desk from her was, without a doubt, very handsome. His short brown hair was trimmed close to the scalp, not drawing any attention away from his strong jaw or brow. He was tall and trim, and he cut an impressive figure in his Royal Air Force volunteers uniforms, a heavy wool greatcoat hanging from his broad shoulders to his polished boots. His smile was disarming and his ice-blue eyes were dazzling.

The only downfall to Captain William Allred was his personality.

"How has your day been, sweetheart?" he asked, not removing his hand from her book as if he was afraid she would disappear into it if he let go.

"It's been fine," she answered diplomatically, although she wrinkled her nose at the pet name, something only William did.

"So what do you say you come with me to the Last Chance tomorrow night?" he asked, propping his elbows on the counter and leaning forward into her space. "You know a lot of us are being shipped out the next morning. It'd be real sweet of ya to come and gimme a proper send-off."

Audrey had to resist yet another sigh. He had been badgering her for days to be his date to the Last Chance dance, where many of the men in town would be enjoying their last night in London before being sent into battle. Even though the Yankee volunteer hadn't been scheduled to ship off yet, he was making rather a big deal of the dance.

"Thank you for the offer, Captain, but I was going to stay in for the night," she said.

The Captain's smile flickered for the briefest moment. "Aw c'mon, you can spend one night away from those books," he cajoled. "I'd love to give you a spin 'round the dance floor. You can't deny we've got a connection."

"I was actually going to spend the night with my cousin," she lied. Well, it wasn't exactly a lie. She figured that she would most likely be spending the night in with her older cousin, her reading while he worked on his little inventions. It wasn't a definite plan, it was just the way they passed most evenings when Private Dwight Hendrickson was home.

"The giant?" the Captain teased. Audrey scowled and he hastily stifled his laugh, back-pedalling. "Ol' Hendrickson is one of the boys, bring him along with you. Couldn't hurt to get him away from his machines and meet a lady, could it?"

Audrey opened her mouth to answer when suddenly a wail cut through the air. They both instinctively tensed. Warning sirens. There were Germans in the sky.

"Audrey!" Vince shouted for her from the back.

"C'mon, sweets," the Captain said, stepping passed the counter and looping an arm around her waist. She barely had time to snatch up her book before he steered her forcefully toward the bookseller's frantic voice. They met him in a row of history books.

"Oh good, there you are," Vince said with relief, hardly acknowledging the soldier beside her. "Come on, into the shelter." He led them out of the back of the store and toward the chemist's shop two doors over, the closest place with a proper shelter.

"Damn bloody Nazis," the chemist, Robert Seddal, said by way of greeting when they slipped into the basement of his store. "Pardon the language, miss," he added as an afterthought, inclining his head to Audrey.

Giving him a soft smile - she'd heard people say much harsher things in the last few years - she sat down on an upturned crate. Across from her was a young woman who must have been in the shop when the sirens went off, and she was fidgeting with his handkerchief and pacing a short line against the wall. The bookshop owner had crossed over to talk to Mr. Seddal in a hushed voice, looking grave.

To her great annoyance, the Captain flipped over a bucket and sat down beside her, far closer than she was comfortable with. Trying to escape him, she opened her book and scoured the pages for the place where she'd left off when the American had shown up in the shop. He was apparently having none of it as he leaned back and wedged his arm between her shoulders and the wall.

"Why are you so fascinated by that thing, dollface?" the Captain asked loudly in her ear.

"It's Audrey," she reminded him gently but he ignored her and continued.

"There's plenty of people to talk to if you're bored, you don't need to hide in those books all the time," he said. "I know you're shy and you're scared by everything that's going on, but it isn't that hard to get out and talk to people. The world's not as bad as it seems."

Audrey gave a humourless laugh and shook her head. "That's not the point at all," she explained as patiently as she could. "It's not about the people or anything that's happening. It's about being in a place that's not here for a while. About getting away from this boring life and having adventures. Like here is so – provincial. Everything is the same; sleeping, working, eating, hiding, fighting. When I read books, I get to be a part of adventures so much bigger than this stupid little city and this horrid war. Noble knights and warriors, magic and monsters, and the sort of love stories that never happen in real life. It's an escape."

The Captain regarded her thoughtfully for a moment and she thought that maybe, just maybe, she had gotten through to him this time. And then, "That's what they make the picture films for."

"It's not the same," she said, a bit dejectedly. No one understood; they never did. Not even Mr. Teagues understood completely. It wasn't that there wasn't enough going on out in the world for her. It was that she wasn't allowed to be a part of any of it. She wanted to be out there, experiencing things and making a difference in the world. She wanted to do so much more with her life than just being a shopgirl. She wanted an adventure.

"And if you wanted a little romance," the Captain went on with a cheeky grin, "then all you had to do was say so, doll. Cap'n Allred at your service." He winked and tipped an over-dramatic salute at her.

Audrey fought the urge to roll her eyes and settled for shrugging his arm off her shoulders on the pretence of adjusting her coat. Unfortunately he simply waited until she had stopped moving and then replaced his arm. There was a distant rumble and everyone in the cellar froze, waiting expectantly. Although none of them would say it, they were all thinking the same thing; would tonight be the night?

Audrey looked down at the book in her lap, not able to keep seeing the anxiety on the others' faces. She traced her fingers along the elaborate rose pattern that had been pressed into the aged leather cover. The action always soothed her and it didn't fail her this time, letting her tune out the worry and fear and even the annoyance of the Captain's possessive arm across her back.

The building abruptly trembled around them, accompanied by a deafening blast. Bottles and jars rattled off the shelves and cracked on the ground. The pacing woman lost her footing and crumpled into a stack of boxes, and the Captain hastily shoved Audrey down, shielding her body with his own. They tensely rode out the series of concussive vibrations and it was several minutes of silence later before any of them dared move.

"Bloody hell, that was a bit close," Mr. Seddal gasped out, brushing off the fine layer of dust that had drifted down from the trembling floor above them.

"What if dey come back?" the other woman asked with a heavy French accent, once she'd scrambled free from the piles of collapsed boxes. "Do you t'ink dey will hit 'ere again?"

No one knew how to answer the woman's frantic questions so they stayed silent, waiting. Although they'd sat up again, the Captain didn't release his grip on Audrey and for once she didn't mind. Those bombs had fallen awfully close, definitely somewhere in their neighbourhood. She couldn't help but wonder who had been caught below it. Which of the familiar faces might she never see again?

Another horrifying thought struck her in that moment that made her blood run cold. Where was her cousin? Was he still at work, safely on the base? Or was he at home in their flat? Had he been caught somewhere in between? Had he been caught in the blast? He was all she had left in the world. If anything happened to him...

A second set of blasts, further away than the last, made the walls shudder. The Frenchwoman on the other side of the room looked like she was on the verge of panic, her breath coming in short bursts as she clutched at a fine chain around her throat. Audrey shook off the Captain's arm, ignoring his attempt to pull her back down, and walked cautiously over to the huddled woman. "What's your name?" she asked gently.

The woman's wide eyes surveyed her for a second before she answered. "Claire. Claire Callahan."

"Hello Claire," Audrey said. "My name's Audrey. You mind if I sit with you?" Claire shook her head, her bright copper hair shimmering, and looked at her uncertainly. Audrey sat down on the floor beside her, tucking her worn blue dress in around her knees as she folded her legs beneath her. "Do you live around here?"

"Two streets away," Claire answered, still fidgeting.

"What about your family?" Audrey continued, trying to distract her from the noises outside.

"_Non famille_," Claire said, a bit flatly. "I come 'ere alone."

"I don't have much family either," Audrey said conversationally. "Just my cousin and I." Claire still looked terrified, so she changed the subject. "Do you like to read?"

"You do," Claire responded, finally glancing at her. "I 'eard you before, talking to 'im." She gestured vaguely at the Captain, who was watching them intently with his elbows resting on his knees.

"I love books," Audrey agreed enthusiastically. "This one here, it's my favourite. _Pride and Prejudice_ by Jane Austen. It's a romance, about not taking people at first impressions." She brushed her fingers over the embellished rose again. "My mother left it for me, she died when I was very young and this is all I have of hers. Do you have a favourite book?"

"I read a book, years ago. _Les Trois Mousquetaires_," Claire said fondly. "I liked it very much."

"The musketeers? Oh that's a good one," Audrey concurred. "The musketeers were very brave. My favourite is Aramis. Which one is yours?"

They passed the time in companionable conversation, talking in depth about Dumas' musketeer trilogy and Audrey suggested several more books she might like as well. Claire gradually relaxed as they talked, all of the nervousness leaving her except in the hand that was clutched near her throat.

"What is that you're holding?" Audrey asked during a lull in the conversation.

Claire hesitated awkwardly before opening her hand to reveal a golden six-point star on her palm. Suddenly her intense fear of the Germans and her sadness about having no family with her,all made sense. Audrey smiled at her comfortingly and said, "It's lovely. What about Shakespeare? Have you read any of him? Mr. Teagues here has read every one of them. He's quite the expert."

"I wouldn't say expert, quite," the older man interjected but he was beaming proudly.

"Oh rubbish," Audrey countered. "All those things you can recite from memory. That whole bit from _Romeo and Juliet_. Have you read _Romeo and Juliet_, Claire? It's beautiful but so very sad."

Claire was smiling when she turned back to her, and Audrey didn't miss the gratitude in her eyes that she hadn't pushed the topic of her religion, like she was sure so many people would in his climate. Audrey touched her forearm reassuringly and then prompted her into speaking again.

They had only just gotten going - Claire had admitted that she'd never read any Shakespeare's plays, so Mr. Teagues had launched into explaining the plots of many of them, including several dramatic monologues - when another loud sound split the air. Instead of the fear from before, this one made everyone relax gratefully: the all-clear sirens.

"About time," the chemist said tersely but beneath that they could all detect the relief they shared at the welcome sound. Claire murmured a string of French that Audrey didn't completely understand, but her tone was enough for her to tell it was a thankful prayer. The Captain stood and offered a hand to her, and Audrey accepted his help up. They walked ahead of the others back up into the chemist's shop, where things had fallen off shelves and counters but appeared to be mostly intact, and then out into the street.

There were heavy clouds of smoke in the air, making it difficult to breathe, and the orange glow of a fire was reflecting off the underside of the dark skies. In the distance were the shouts of people who were tending to the destruction. Audrey mentally sighed in relief when she realised that the fire was in the opposite direction from their flat and the base where her cousin worked. He was most likely safe.

"All this mess to clean up," Mr. Seddal muttered angrily, from the doorway of his store. "Gonna take all night to get this cleared up."

"Don't take too long," the Captain said, glancing at his watch. "It's almost curfew."

"I'll worry about me, Yankee boy, you just get the missus home safe," the surly Irishman responded and then he nodded a quick good-night to everyone else and disappeared back into the store.

"Good-night, Mr. Teagues," Audrey said. "I'll be in early tomorrow to help tidy up the store." There was always some rearranging that had to be done after a bombing. And then she pivoted on her heel and, her thoughts hopeful, took off running for home.


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

"Audrey!"

Audrey had never been more excited to hear her cousin's voice. Through a gap in the small crowd of people who had dared venture out, she caught sight of his familiar towering figure and a smile broke out across her face. "Dwight!"

"Oh Audrey, thank God," Dwight Hendrickson said gratefully and his relief showed on his hard-lined face. He was a behemoth next to his little cousin - or most people, really - and built in a way that befitted his nickname of Giant and made his army medic uniform snug over his muscles. His blonde hair was a bit longer than was perhaps proper, tied in a ribbon at the back of his neck, and although he looked stern, his smile was warm as he looked down at Audrey.

The cousins jogged the last few metres and met on the pavement. Audrey immediately threw her arms around his neck and Dwight hugged her back so her feet left the ground.

"I was so worried," he said breathlessly, and when he drew back she could see a wild light in his eyes. "When I heard that bomb come down so close, I thought I'd lost you."

"I'm okay," she said reassuringly. Dwight had already lost his wife and young child to the war, and she couldn't imagine the intense fear he had of losing her, the last piece of family he had.

"Yes, you are," he agreed after giving her a quick once-over. He nodded as if trying to convince himself, and then frowned up at the smoky sky. "Come on, let's get home." Audrey slipped her arm through his and he steered them back toward the flat, winding their way through the clusters of people who had come out to inspect the damage. Neither of them spoke again until they were safely shut up at home, and the lamps lit in the main room of their small flat.

Dwight sighed heavily and stroked his ponytail, a nervous tic he had had for as long as Audrey could remember. "Auds," he started and the anxiety behind the pet name caught her focus. "I've got to get you out of this city."

"Dwight," she countered immediately. "I've told you before, I'm not leaving you."

"I'm being deployed," Dwight admitted in a rush.

Audrey stopped short, looking at her cousin in horror. "I thought they weren't going to ship you out," she said. "You're just supposed to stay here and take care of the ones who get brought home."

"The war isn't going well," he replied. "They need all of us that they can get. Those boys out there need me."

"Then I'm coming as well," Audrey said decisively. "I've learnt enough from you, I could be a nurse. I can come and help."

"No!" The ferocity of Dwight's response startled her into silence. His expression softened. "I can't have you out in that place. I won't be able to think straight with you in that sort of danger. You are all I have left, and that's why I have to keep you safe."

"And you're all I have," Audrey said passionately and she felt the tears she was trying to hold back choking her, strangling her voice. "I don't want to lose you. You can't go."

"I have to," Dwight said and his voice was thick as well. He sat down on the settee beside her and wrapped her in his arms. "I leave in a month. But before I go, I'm going to find a safe place for you to stay until this is all over. I have an aunt - well, great aunt - up in Northumberland. I'll start there."

"I don't want to go," Audrey said, feeling like a petulant child even as the words left her mouth. "London is my home."

"I know," her cousin said soothingly, stroking her back. "But it's just for now, I promise. I'm only supposed to be gone for a year, and then I'll come back and be with you again. And as soon as this war is over, we'll come home to London."

Audrey let out a defeated sob, crumpling into her cousin's chest. He held her until her tears had softened, and then tucked her into bed with a tender kiss on the brow. She fell asleep clinging to a stuffed rabbit that he had given to her as a child, one that still smelt like him; linen and machine oil and those cigarettes he'd always fancied back before rationing.

First thing in the morning, Audrey accompanied her cousin to the train station. It was nearly empty in the gray dawn light, with only a few threadbare stragglers and a handful of men in uniform on patrol. They lingered on the platform as they waited for the whistle of the train, and Dwight tugged on the end of his ponytail before speaking.

"I'll write to you every day," he said and even his soft voice seemed unnaturally loud in the stifling quiet. "To let you know where I'm at. And as soon as I've got things sorted, I'll send for you." Audrey nodded glumly. "Keep yourself out of trouble while I'm gone," he continued. "And maybe enjoy yourself a bit, would you?" he added with a soft smile. "Visit with your friends, maybe go to one of those dances that American captain is always inviting you to."

Audrey fought the urge to wrinkle her nose at the suggestion, knowing her cousin meant well. "Dwight," she started and then winced at how hoarse she sounded. She cleared her throat but before she could say anything more the train's whistle split the air, a harsh shriek that made them both jump. "No," she whispered. He couldn't be leaving already.

"I've got to go, love," he said, his eyes trailing over the other passengers that were slipping through the train's open doors. "Take care of yourself, Auds. It'll only be a few days, a week at most, and then I'll see you again. Yeah?"

In response, she hugged her cousin again and clung to him. Even a mere week would be the longest she'd spent away from Dwight since her parents had passed and he had taken custody of her. The knowledge that the week apart would be followed by an entire year brought a whole new wave of tears to the surface of her aching eyes. "Hey now, shh," Dwight said comfortingly but he was holding on just as tightly. "Just a few days, love, I promise. You can handle that."

"I'll miss you, Dwight," Audrey choked out.

"And I'll miss you, Audrey," he replied. "But you're a strong girl. A strong woman," he amended. "The strongest woman I've ever known. And we'll be alright."

The train whistled again and the two reluctantly broke apart. Dwight drank in the sight of his little cousin's face, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of her blonde hair behind her ear, and then he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "A few days," he said, like a promise.

"A few days," she echoed with a weak smile.

The train groaned and then began to inch forward, and Dwight squeezed her hand one last time before jumping on board. He hung out of the door and called back through the smoke, "Goodbye, Audrey!"

"Goodbye," she shouted over the whine of the steel wheels. She raced along with the train until it reached the edge of the platform, and then stood waving until her cousin's figure had shrunk into nothing. Shivering, Audrey drew her kerchief from a pocket in her coat and dabbed at her itching eyes. For a few minutes she just stood there, staring out at the streak of smoke left behind by the train, and then finally she grew too cold and walked away from the platform.

The rest of the city was slowly coming to life as she made her way back toward the bookshop. People kept up as if nothing of great importance had happened the night before, apart from some broken rubble and a surplus of soldiers on the streets. Audrey surveyed the people around her curiously, wondering when everyone had grown so weather-beaten and melancholy, and then realised it was the first time she had walked to work without her nose buried in a book in ages. How had things gotten so miserable without her noticing?

She noticed that she was getting a lot of strange looks from the people she passed, some curious and some sympathetic. As she walked by the baker's shop the woman called out an awkward, "You all right there, Miss Parker?"

"Fine, thank you, Rosemary," she said and offered her a weak smile. She returned it with a somewhat encouraging nod and then went back to arranging the sign in front of her shop. Audrey wrapped her coat more tightly around herself and kept her head lowered slightly as she finished her walk to the bookstore, not meeting any of the sad looks the people of the neighbourhood were giving her.

The bell jangled as she slipped inside the store and spotted Mr. Teagues rearranging a stack of books on the shelf beside the desk that must have fallen during the air raid. He glanced over his shoulder with a smile on his face, but the moment his eyes landed on her expression switched instantly to concern. "Audrey, what's wrong?" he asked, dropping his armful of books on the counter and coming over to her. "Is your cousin all right?"

Audrey had wanted to be strong, but the moment her cousin was mentioned it all came out of her in a rush. She told her employer what Dwight had decided the night before and about his morning departure. When she reached the end she drew out her handkerchief again to wipe her traitorous eyes.

"Oh Audrey," Vince said, his old face etched with sadness, and to her surprise he quite suddenly drew her into an embrace. "You poor thing. I am going to miss you terribly. You're like a daughter to me, you know." Audrey smiled into his coat, breathing in the comforting scent of books. "But your cousin is right. This city isn't fit for a woman right now, not even one so brave as you."

"I wish I could just stay here, in the shop," Audrey admitted as she drew back from the older man's arms. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear and looked around fondly at the leather- and cloth-bound tomes. "If we aren't safe in books, where are we? What if the new place doesn't have books?"

"It'll be an adventure though," Mr. Teagues pointed out with a knowing smile. "Just like you've always dreamt of, yeah?"

That brought a genuine smile to Audrey's face. "Not quite what I imagined," she said, "but it'll do for now."

"There's a brave girl," Mr. Teagues said and chuckled. The bell above the door rang and both of them looked over to see the same familiar Beatrice Mitchell entered the store.

"Mrs. Mitchell, it's lovely to see you again," Audrey said, promptly shoving all of the sad feelings to the back of her mind. "Have you come for another book? Last night I thought of a lovely book you might enjoy." She showed the older woman deeper into the store, to a shelf of classics, and spent the next hour talking the older woman through a series of books. By the time Beatrice left, with no purchase for the day but a promise to be back the next morning, Audrey was feeling considerably better.

She could do this. She could be strong for them all.

Just before suppertime, when her shift at the shop was nearly finished, the Captain made another appearance. "Hello there, beautiful," he greeted cheerfully. "You took off so fast last night I didn't even get to say goodnight."

"Sorry, William," Audrey said, half-sincerely. Obnoxious as he might be, she still had her manners after all. "I wanted to make sure my cousin was all right."

"Course you did," the Captain replied. "Anyway, I came by because the Last Chance is tonight, and I'd really love to take you."

Audrey had the dismissal on the tip of her tongue but she hesitated. This was what her cousin had wanted for her, to go out and enjoy a night. Besides, this might be the last opportunity she had to spend time with the others from her neighbourhood before she was sent away up north. Her last chance for a proper London dance. So she swallowed back her first response and nodded.

"Thank you, I'd like that," she agreed.

William seemed momentarily gobsmacked, and then his grin broke out in full. "I knew you'd come around," he said enthusiastically. "All right, I'll come by 'round seven to escort you then." There was something slightly lecherous in his gaze as he eyed her one last time. "I'll see you tonight then, precious."

And before she could remind him for the millionth time that her name was Audrey, he turned on the heel of his boots and marched out of the door with his head held high.

"A dance, eh?" Mr. Teagues asked from where he had been organising one of the bookshelves. "Well that sounds like fun."

"I hope so," Audrey said honestly. And she truly did. She hoped that every assumption she had made about the American captain was wrong, and that she might genuinely enjoy her night. She wanted to believe in the goodness of people, even in dark times like these. And she really didn't want to face spending the night home alone without Dwight.

So when she left the shop an hour later, she went back to the flat and sought out one of her best dresses, tucked away in the back of her wardrobe. It had been a while since she'd had occasion to bring it out, and she'd almost forgotten how much she loved that shade of emerald green. She put on the soft cotton dress and curled her hair and even applied a bit of the lipstick her cousin had bought her once before realising she didn't care for such things. As she surveyed herself in the mirror she felt a bit foolish, like a child playing dress-up, but she didn't have any more time to consider it before there was a knock at the door to her flat.

Donning a thick white cardigan, she hurried over and opened the door to find the frame filled with the Captain. He was dressed as usual in his uniform and greatcoat, his hat tucked in its typical place beneath his arm, although he seemed to have put an extra polish on his buttons and boots. He scanned her up and down a bit too deliberately and then flashed her a wide grin. "Well look at you, doll," he said appreciatively. "Aren't you a pretty little thing?"

Audrey felt her cheeks redden at his obvious staring and she smiled awkwardly. "Thank you," she replied. "You look nice as well."

"Always do," he said with a chuckle and winked. He put his hat onto his head and tipped it at a jaunty angle, and then offered his arm. "How's about we go make the rest of London jealous, eh?" With a timid nod, Audrey looped her arm through his and allowed him to lead her to the dancehall, listening as he recounted stories of his various successes in training sessions and battles.

By the time they'd entered the room filled with energetic big band music and dozens of young couples spiraling across the dancefloor, the Captain had yet to talk about anything but himself. Audrey was starting to regret her decision to accompany him. He put a possessive arm around her waist, steered her to the centre of the hall, and swept her into a waltz without even letting her catch her breath.

"So sweetcakes, did I tell you about the time I took down those German fighter planes over the south coast?" the Captain asked, drawing her closer to his body than she was comfortable with. He didn't give her a chance to inform him that he had already recounted the story twice before barrelling on proudly.

Audrey sighed heavily. It was going to be a long night.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

"That boorish, brainless..._ugh_!"

Audrey was raging, the long rant spewing out as she paced an agitated line in front of the bookshop desk. She had been quietly stewing until Mr. Teagues had asked how her night out had gone.

"Surely it wasn't so bad," Mr. Teagues suggested cautiously. It was rare to see Audrey angry; she had always been such an even-tempered girl, usually the one to keep her head when everyone else lost theirs.

"He was horrible," she replied. "I've never seen anyone so selfish and arrogant in my life. Rude and dismissive to everyone. You would think a volunteer soldier would have more class and compassion, but he's obviously just interested in the glory and the attention. And the way he speaks to women - " Audrey broke off with a disgusted noise, throwing her hands in the air for emphasis.

"He wasn't rude to you?" Mr. Teagues interjected.

"Not outright," she countered with a huff. "But he tugged me around after him like a dog on a chain all night. He hardly even let me get a word in at all, and he chased off every other man who so much as looked at me. Not that it stopped him from eyeing up every lady that walked passed us, of course. I got no say in anything. It was like he thought he owned me."

"Well I'm sure he didn't mean it that way," Vince offered diplomatically. "He fancies you. I reckon he was just trying to show you that."

"Oh undoubtedly," Audrey said sarcastically. "Do you know what he did when I told him where Dwight had gone? He asked me to _marry_ him!" The older man's jaw fell open. "Not even properly either. He said that if I was looking for a place to live, he would marry me and send me back to America to live with his family. That he'd like to have a pretty little thing like me for a wife."

"Audrey, I don't think he meant it - "

"And there's that as well," she added. "He always calls me by horrible pet names. I hate being called those stupid, cheesy things, and I tell him that all the time but he never listens."

Mr. Teagues walked around the desk and placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her relentless fidgeting. "Breathe," he suggested gently. Audrey let out a heavy breath, the tension in her shoulders deflating. "Perhaps you should take the day off," he said. "Go home and relax for a bit."

"No, that's all right," she said quickly, thinking of the dismal, empty flat waiting for her at home. "I'd rather stay, really. Get my mind off it all."

"Very well," he agreed with a small nod. "Why don't you sort through those shelves in the back then, if you want to keep busy? I can watch the front desk." Even though he didn't say it, she caught the hidden meaning in the gesture. He was offering to run interference for her with the Captain.

"Thank you," she said gratefully. He smiled at her kindly and she hurried off to the back of the store, hiding among the shelves. She spent the rest of the afternoon sorting through the rows of books, rearranging ones that had been misplaced by browsing customers. When she heard the Captain's distinctive drawl she retreated to the back room as Vince fended off the American. While she was waiting she pulled out her mother's book and settled in among the boxes to read.

Elizabeth Bennett was just rejecting the proposal from Mr. Collins when the door to the storage room opened. "Ah, there you are," Mr. Teagues said. Audrey blinked as she was pulled back to reality. "_Pride and Prejudice_ again?" the bookkeeper asked with a small laugh.

Audrey smiled as she closed the book in her lap. "It's my favourite book," she said. "I love the way Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy hate each other at first but then discover that there is so much more. You have these two different men, Wickham and Darcy, and you realise that they are exactly the opposite of what she thought at first. It's so beautiful."

"Do you think perhaps you've made a mistake about Captain Allred?" Mr. Teagues asked but there didn't seem to be much conviction in his voice.

"No, Captain Allred is more like George Wickham, undoubtedly," Audrey insisted. "He is beautiful and charming on the outside and it deceives people, but beneath it is nothing but greed and ambition."

"Very well, Miss Bennet," Vince said with a cheeky grin. "I was just going to let you know that your gentleman suitor has left, so you are safe to come back out again. Although we are nearly through for the day now."

"Oh, of course," she agreed distractedly. Still carrying the aged book, she followed the shop owner back out to the front desk. After she had taken her usual place at the desk, he returned to the back office to finish the day's paperwork. It only took minutes before she was once again embroiled in the romantic affairs of the Bennet girls.

Audrey let herself into the quiet flat at the end of the evening - she had stayed late at the shop to avoid having to spend much time in the empty home - and slowly began unbuttoning her coat. She had only gotten down two buttons before she spotted a small dingy envelope on the floor just inside of the door. A hopeful grin flashed across her face and she hastily stooped to pick it up. Her heart leapt when she recognised the familiar print on the front. Dwight.

Forgetting about taking off her coat, she dropped down onto the worn settee and tore open the top of the envelope. There was a small folded slip of paper inside and she pulled it out and unfolded it, her eyes scanning the scratchy print eagerly.

_Dear Audrey,_

_I just got off the train here in Northumberland. The weather is much cooler here but it's lovely and clear. I'm taking a quick chance to write this while I wait for a carriage that will take me to Wark where my great aunt lives. I should be there by nightfall. I will write again tomorrow when I've arranged everything with them._

Audrey ran her fingers over the wrinkled paper and smiled. It was short and hardly informative, but it was at least nice to know that he had arrived safely. At that moment he was likely already settled in at his great aunt's house, enjoying a warm cuppa and waiting for her to arrive. The thought was comforting and she smiled, hugging the letter to her chest.

She went to sleep that night with the letter resting open on her bedside table where she could see it and anticipation in her chest at the promise of another letter coming very soon.

The entire following day she found it difficult to concentrate. Even reading didn't provide the same comfort that it usually did, and she hardly made any progress in the book because she kept getting distracted by thoughts of her cousin. She didn't even put any thought into avoiding the Captain, which was how he managed to corner her at the desk in the early afternoon.

"Good day, doll," he said cheerfully as he marched in through the front door. "I missed you yesterday. Your boss said you'd taken the day off but you didn't answer your door when I went by."

Audrey smiled tightly. "I just needed some time alone," she said, not untruthfully.

"Yeah, I suppose it was quite the evening, wasn't it?" the Captain said with a roguish grin. "I sent a telegraph along to my mother and sister this morning, I'm sure they'll be delighted to meet you."

"Pardon?" Audrey asked in surprise, glancing up from disinterestedly examining the desktop. He couldn't possibly mean what she thought he meant...

"Well it was only fair that I let them know you were coming before you arrive, wouldn't you say," he said nonchalantly. "Now, it'll take a few days before they can get the marriage license filled out, of course. But I've got a friend who can get you through the immigration easily enough. You should be settled down in good ol' New York City within a month."

"I'm not marrying you," she said in surprise. William frowned. "I never said I'd marry you."

"Of course you did," he countered. "We talked about it at the dance. Don't worry about it, I know you're nervous, but you'll make a great wife. And once this war is over, we'll get settled into my house and start on a proper family. You'll wear the best clothes and go to parties and the theatre. You won't have to read those boring books anymore to keep yourself going. And we'll have a whole mess of strong boys, just like me. A half dozen of 'em, at least."

"Well that sounds like it would be good for you, but that's just not the sort of life I want," she protested as gently as she could. "I wouldn't be suited for that sort of life. I just don't think I would be the right girl for you."

The Captain chuckled softly and gave her a patronising smile. "It's a shame you don't understand what a beautiful woman you are, Audrey," he said. "I know you might not believe it, but this is the life that a woman like you deserves."

"Oh I hardly think I deserve a man like you, Captain," she replied and he thankfully missed the hint of sarcasm that was slipped into her words. This man was complete rubbish at taking hints. Floundering for any other way to shake him off, she added, "But really, I ought to write to my cousin first and let him know about all of this."

"Right, of course," the Captain agreed enthusiastically. "Wouldn't want to do anything without him here. Need the man of the house to give you away." He reached across the counter and took her hand in his, pressing a lingering, damp kiss to her knuckles. Then he flashed her a disarming wink and left the shop. Audrey waited until the door had shut behind him, and then she let out a loud groan, her head falling forward to land on the desktop with a dull thunk.

When the end of her shift at the shop came she left in a hurry. Bundled up against the chill, she very nearly jogged in her haste to get home and her cold fingers fumbled with the key to the flat. She shoved the door open and immediately saw the folded letter on the floor, where it had fallen when the postman had shoved it through the slot in the door. Grinning, she picked it up and broke the seal.

_Dear Audrey,_

_I arrived at my aunt's this morning. Things aren't looking well. Margaret is very ill and they are moving closer to London so she can be near a good doctor. But she says there are more houses north of town that might be able to help us. I'll start checking there tomorrow. I'll write again tomorrow, surely I'll have found a place by then. I miss you, Auds._

Audrey stared at the letter uncertainly. Moving away to stay with some relatives that she hadn't seen since she was a small child was bad enough, but to live in the house of a complete stranger? Part of her was beginning to desperately hope that her cousin wouldn't be able to find a place for her before he had to return for his deployment. Then at least she would be able to stay in her home.

Unless the Captain had his way, at least. She wished she really could write to her cousin about the whole situation, but it wouldn't do any good. He would've moved on long before the letter reached him. And while she knew he meant well, she was half-worried that he would try to convince her to take the Captain's proposal just so she would be safe in America. Maybe going away up north really would be the better option.

None of it mattered now though. For now, the only thing she could do was wait.


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

_Bellingham, Northumberland - That same morning_

Dwight Hendrickson pulled his ragged coat tighter around his body as he walked the long road through the forest north of Bellingham. He had spent an entire day asking around the city but had no luck. It seemed that most of the people who had room in their houses for guests had already been employed by the government to house children. Near the end of the evening, someone had suggested that he try the next town north, a place called Hareshaw that was tucked away in the forest alongside the river.

He had set out first thing the following morning, after dropping off his latest letter to Audrey with the postman. It was chilly out in the early morning air, and he was forced to make the trip at a walk, since he hadn't been able to find anyone to give him a ride. As he'd walked he had hoped that someone might drive by that he could hitch a ride from, but it was well past noon and he'd had no luck so far. It was starting to become a theme of his trip, having no luck. It had been such a disappointment to find out about his great aunt Margaret's illness, both because he worried about her health and because he had so desperately hoped that they would be able to take Audrey in under their roof. Since then, it had been five days of trekking through towns and asking around for any chance that he would be able to find a place for his cousin.

At first when the evacuations had started, he had been grateful that his little cousin was eighteen and had been considered too old to be sent away with the children. He didn't want to bear the idea of having her away from him. Since the death of his wife and daughter, Audrey had become his world and he didn't want to be separated from her. That had all changed when the bombings had started.

Usually she had been home with him when they hit and he could at least be assured that she was safe. Then that night had come when she had still been at the bookstore when the sirens went off. He had spent a terrified few hours in the bomb cellar that the people of his building shared, wondering where she was and if he would see her again. The bomb that fell into their neighbourhood was the most agonising moment of his life.

He had been thinking about having her evacuated for the past week, ever since he had been told that he would be sent to the battlefield to tend the injured soldiers on the front lines. It was one thing to have her in the city while he was there to watch over her but with him across the channel his only concern was her safety. The bombing had only strengthened his resolve and by the time the all-clear siren had rang out through the city he had the plan settled in his mind.

Audrey had reacted exactly the way he had expected her to. She had her mother's spirit, and he had known that she wouldn't take to the idea of running away and hiding. He had been dreading the idea of her wanted to go serve along with the other women since the moment she'd come of age. Part of him was afraid that she would sneak away to join them while he was gone, but he quelled that voice. She was a good girl and she wouldn't lie to him like that.

It was getting late into the afternoon before he heard a cart rumbling up the road behind him and he stepped over to the side of the road, waving down the driver. The cart came to a slow stop beside him and Dwight walked up to the bench at the front. "I don't suppose you could offer me a ride, could you?" he asked.

The older woman on the bench smiled and patted the spot beside her. "Where are you headed?"

"A place called Hareshaw," Dwight said, climbing up into the cart and sitting down. "Do you know where that is?"

"Oh yes, you're not too far now," the woman replied. "I'm heading further north but I can leave you where the road branches off for the town, if you'd like. It's a short walk from there into the town."

"Thank you, I appreciate it," Dwight said gratefully, stretching out his tired legs. The woman flicked the reins and the donkey in front of the cart started moving again with an irritable snort. "I've been walking since Bellingham."

The woman glanced at him in surprise. "That far? You poor thing. So why are you heading to Hareshaw?"

Dwight tugged at his ponytail uneasily. "I'm up from London and I'm trying to find someone who will house my cousin to get her away from the bombings. She's eighteen, you see, so the council said she was too old to evacuate with the other children."

"It's so sad, all those children being sent away from their homes," the woman said, _tsk_ing and shaking her head sadly. "I've got three little ones staying with my husband and me, the oldest one's only eleven. The poor little doves were so scared when they came to me."

The woman continued to prattle away about the three little siblings who were housed with her as the cart rolled down the road. Dwight was only half-listening as they rode on, taking advantage of the ride to give his sore muscles a break. He was a medic, not a soldier. At least not anymore.

He spotted a narrow road branching off theirs and he sat up expectantly, but the older woman didn't slow the cart. "Wasn't that it there?" he asked in confusion.

"No, Hareshaw is a bit further on," she said. He noticed that as she glanced over at the side road there was a frown on her face. "That leads up to the old Haven House that belonged to the Wuornoses. They owned all of the land up here once. The house is abandoned now, I think. At least we haven't heard any word from the family in ages."

They rode on in silence for another half hour, and then another road appeared off to the other side, much wider than the first. The older woman slowed the cart as they reached the road. "Good luck," she said as he adjusted the bag on his shoulder.

"Thank you for the ride," he said. As soon as the cart stopped he stood and jumped down to the road. He tossed a wave to her over his shoulder as he started toward the town, which was already visible from the beginning of the roadway.

The next few hours were a monotonous blur; he walked up and down the streets of the little secluded town, talking to everyone that he could, but no one seemed to be of much help. Some told him that they had already taken on wards, some made obvious excuses, but by the time he had finished he still hadn't found anyone who was willing to take in Audrey, even when he offered a decent sum in compensation. The air had grown thick and cold, and the sky had filled with dark, roiling clouds. He wouldn't have much time to find a place for the night before the storm set in.

He walked briskly to the last remaining house, a small manor set off from the road slightly and surrounded in flowering bushes. There was a stable beside it, the front doors opened to reveal a cart and a row of stall doors. Parked on the lawn was a wagon that seemed to have had better days, most of its left side was crushed apart. A man, a good decade older than Dwight himself, was dressed in a heavy coat and hammering away at the frame of the stable's double-doors. "Pardon me?" Dwight shouted as he jogged up the dirt path toward him.

There was a particularly loud bang and the man let out a stream of curses. He turned around and stood just as Dwight reached him, and the other man had a fierce scowl on his face. "Wha'cho want, then?" he asked in a rough Scots brogue, cradling one hand to his chest.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Dwight said quickly. "You alright, mate?"

"Wha'cho want?" the man repeated tersely.

"I just wanted to speak to the owner of the house. I live in London with my cousin, and I'm hoping to find someone who will let her come stay with them so I can get her out of the city," Dwight explained for the millionth time.

"We don't have room here," the man said. "Already got a city kid staying 'round and wreckin' everythin'."

"But this house is so large," Dwight pleaded. "The government won't evacuate her because she's eighteen, but I can't stand leaving her in the city with all of the bombings. And now I'm being deployed and she's got no other family, I don't want to leave her all on her own. Please, she's a good girl, real smart, and she can help you out around the house."

The man shook his head, brandishing the hammer he'd been using dismissively. "No, I'm not havin' any more you city types around 'ere," he said.

"Please, sir-" Dwight started up but the other man cut him off.

"You wanna find someone who can 'fford to take on 'nother person, you go up the road and try Haven House," the man told him. "Got tons of rooms and money."

"Isn't that place abandoned?" Dwight asked, recognising the name that the woman on the cart had said.

"Nah, just keeps to 'imself, I think," the man said. "There's been horses up there, and I've seen lights up there sometimes. If you head out now, you can pro'lly get there 'fore the rain starts." With that the man tipped his hat and walked into the house, ignoring Dwight's shout after him.

With nothing else to do, Dwight headed back toward the centre of town. He remembered passing the Haven House on his way to Hareshaw and he thought that he could make it there within the hour. If he was lucky the rain would hold out long enough for him to make it there. It was worth a shot, and if it didn't work then he'd move on in the morning.

Dwight stopped at the postman's shop and slipped inside. He pulled a piece of paper from the pad in his bag and borrowed a pen from the postman to write out a quick letter to Audrey. Once the letter had been sealed in an envelope and handed over to the postman, to be sent out with the postcart in the morning, he headed out of town the same way he'd come in.

He reached the road that led to Haven House just as the sun set and the clouds decided to open up. Dwight pulled his coat up around his ears and stayed close to the treeline in a vain attempt to keep dry, aided slightly by the tunnel-like weave of the branches overhead. The manor house was only just visible from the main road, a hulking Gothic masterpiece with sharp turrets and snarling gargoyles on the parapets. It was beautiful, in the same haunted and menacing way as a cemetery.

The massive iron gate at the entrance to the property was propped partially open, wide enough for Dwight to slip through. Rolling acres of lush grass that came up to Dwight's knees swept up toward the house and overgrown gardens edged the entire left side of the building, smothering the stone walls that were built to contain them. It was hard to make out details in the shadows that had fallen over everything beneath the cover of the clouds, but it also made it possible to see the faint glow of firelight coming from one of the lower windows. The other man had been right: someone lived there.

Even though he ran, Dwight was soaked through and shivering by the time he reached the front doors of the massive house. He huddled beneath the small shelter provided by the ornate doorframe and hammered on the giant oak doors hopefully. No one answered, so he shouted, "Hello," and pounded harder. Several minutes later he was just beginning to think that perhaps there was no one inside and the firelight had been a trick of his mind, when one of the doors slowly swung inward with an ominous creak. He peered through the doorway but there was no one filling the opening.

"Hello?" Dwight called out cautiously and stepped inside. Beyond the door was a cavernous entrance hall of polished marble and sweeping, double staircases that led to the higher floors. Tapestries adorned the walls, holes worn in the intricate needlework by time and nature, and the remaining spaces were filled with paintings whose canvases were so heavily coated with dust that their subjects were inscrutable. A door stood open on the other end of the hall and a soft, orange glow was seeping out across the floor in a fan shape. "Is anyone here?" Dwight shouted.

There was a soft, scuffling sound from the room but no one answered. Had an animal wandered into the house? Shifting his bag around behind his back to free up his hands just in case, Dwight headed toward the room tentatively. As he got closer he heard the gentle flickering of a fire and the air warmed around him. Freezing cold by this point, Dwight hurried the last few steps to the door and pushed it open. The room was a small, comfortable sitting room, with a semi-circle of plush armchairs and settees around a large fireplace. Waves of heated air swept over him and Dwight couldn't contain himself any longer. He raced over to the kneel beside the mantle, holding his hands out above the flames and rubbing his frigid fingers together.

"You shouldn't have come in, Sasquatch."

Dwight spun around on his knees so quickly he nearly slipped backward into the fireplace. His eyes flicked around the room but he didn't spot anyone. "Who's there?" he asked, standing up and clenching his fists defensively. "Show yourself."

"Didn't mean to scare you," the voice, a smooth bass with a cocky lilt, spoke up again. Dwight couldn't be certain, but it seemed to be coming from the cluster of shadows in the corner behind the door. "But you'd better make yourself comfortable, you're stuck here now."

"What do you mean?" Dwight pressed. "Please, I didn't mean to trespass but I need help."

"Well you won't get any here," the voice said. There was a faint shifting in the shadows and Dwight narrowed his eyes, trying to pick out the figure. "If I were you, I'd hide. He won't like you being here."

"I don't like talking to thin air," Dwight said and he took several steps toward the corner where he'd seen the movement. He stopped when his eyes adjusted to the dim light and he made out the silhouette of a figure.

"Alright," the voice said and Dwight could see him lifting his hands out to the side. "Easy there, big guy." He stepped forward into the glow of the firelight and Dwight flinched in surprise. "You see now, this place isn't normal. And I'm the least freaky. You should hide before he hears you. Hurry."

"What-?" The words fell into silence as the doors to the room suddenly slammed open and were filled with a figure that made Dwight stagger backward. "Oh God."

"What are you doing here?" The menacing roar shook the room and Dwight, brave as he was, couldn't help but jump. "Why are you in my house?"

"Please, I was just looking for help," Dwight stammered. "I'm sorry, but the storm-" The other man snarled. "I'm sorry, I'll leave, I didn't-"

"You wanted shelter, now you have it," the figure said, baring inch-long fangs. Lit from below by the smoldering fire, it was like staring up into the face of a monster. Dwight was grabbed by the throat and hauled to his feet - an impressive feat considering his size - and brought face-to-face with the horror. "You should not have come to this house."

And then the beast shoved him away roughly. Dwight's leg clipped a table and he tumbled backwards. His head hit the mantle and in a flash of white, the world disappeared.


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

_London, England - Ten Days Later_

In the wake of her cousin's departure, Audrey's life quickly fell into a new rhythm. First thing in the morning she would go to the bookstore and help Mr. Teagues to open the shop. Through the morning she would watch the front desk and assist the few customers who wandered in. In the early afternoon one of her regular visitors would come by, whether it was Beatrice Mitchell or the Frenchwoman, Claire Callahan.

After they left, Audrey would spend the second half of the day in the back rooms, sorting through old books and paperwork. This was both because Mr. Teagues felt guilty that she was working so many hours at the same position and also because it gave her a chance to avoid the Captain and his continued advances. When the bookshop closed for the night, Audrey would head home and eagerly find the letter from her cousin, which she would read before going to bed.

The absences of Dwight had left a dull ache in her chest. She spent as little time in their flat as possible to avoid the emptiness and the silence. Audrey had spent little time alone in her life, and, especially since her parents' death, she had never gone more than a day or two away from her cousin and his family. The daily letters from Dwight had become a comfort and solace, a small connection to the little bit of family she had left. Although the news was never good, her cousin continued to sound optimistic. She kept all of the short letters tucked into her mother's old book and re-read them all every night, comforted by their familiarity.

"Audrey, _es tu bien_?" Claire's curious question made her look up, startled out of her musing. "You look sad," she continued quietly.

"I miss my cousin," Audrey admitted. "And I'm worried about him. I haven't gotten a letter in almost a week, and he promised he would write every day. And he's supposed to be back soon, he's being deployed in just a few days."

"Maybe 'e is busy?" Claire offered. "Maybe 'e is finding an 'ouse and 'e does not 'ave time to write. Or maybe 'e is on 'is way 'ome now, _oui_?"

"Maybe," Audrey agreed half-heartedly, not even convincing to her own ears.

Claire sighed sadly as she glanced up at the clock. "I 'ave to go, I will be late," she said. "You will see _ton cousin_ tonight, _oui_, you see. And you stay 'ere in the city and I will keep you safe. We keep each other safe."

Audrey smiled, reaching out to squeeze the Frenchwoman's hand fondly. "That sounds wonderful," she said. "Have a good day, Claire."

"_Au revoir, mon amie_," she returned before slipping out of the shop doors on her way back to the warehouse now that her lunchbreak had ended. Audrey had grown to be fast friends with the French immigrant in the time since they had met, confiding in each other the truths they dared tell no one else. Audrey had confessed her desire to travel and to have grand adventures, as well as her crippling fear of being separated from her cousin.

In return, Claire had told her about her escape from France, how her parents had been taken to an internment camp for the golden stars around their necks, and how she had gotten a letter from her brother telling her to flee to Britain and they would meet again there. It had been six months and she had gotten no word from her brother since. Odds were the older Callahan had not managed to evade the German armies, a fact they both knew but never spoke aloud.

Slumping on the stool behind the counter, she opened her book and pulled out her cousin's last letter, post-dated a week prior.

_Dear Audrey,_

_There are such isolated, beautiful villages here in the north. I think you might like them. Today I'm in a place called Hareshaw, completely surrounded by trees. There are already lots of children in the houses. A man pointed me toward a manor house just east of town. I'll go there once I've sent this. I have a good feeling about it._

_I miss you and I'll see you soon._

A week had passed since that letter had arrived and she still hadn't heard anything from him. She wanted to convince herself that the letters had simply been delayed, that perhaps the isolated towns only shipped out their mail every few days, but she couldn't get rid of the anxiety that had knotted in her stomach. Something was wrong and with each day the feeling only got worse.

"Audrey." Vince's voice startled Audrey and she hastily folded her cousin's letter again. He gave her a kind, reassuring smile. "I'm going to start locking up the store. I told you this morning," he added at her confused glance. "Peggy isn't feeling well, and I said I'd go over to take care of her."

"Oh yes, of course," she said quickly, remembering that Vince was caring for his younger brother's family while he was deployed. Audrey tucked the letter away with the others in the back of her book and stood up. "Sorry, I was distracted."

"Your cousin," the bookshop owner said and it wasn't a question. "You still haven't heard anything from him?" Audrey sighed and shook her head. Mr. Teagues gave her a sad smile and gripped her shoulder affectionately. "Don't worry, dove, he's probably on his way home already."

"Yeah, maybe," Audrey agreed the same way she had when Claire had suggested the same thing. "Well, give Peggy my best. I hope she is feeling better in the morning. I'll see you tomorrow." She could tell that Mr. Teagues wanted to say more, but she smiled as brightly as she could manage and then walked out of the front of the shop. As she headed for home she wrapped her cardigan tighter around herself, her mind far away with her cousin in the northern forests. What could have happened to him to stop him from writing to her? Had he run out of money already? Had he gotten into trouble? Was he ill? Worse?

No, she refused to let herself think that.

A hand landed on her shoulder and Audrey nearly jumped out of her skin, spinning around in a panic from her would-be attacker. "Easy there, doll," William said, holding up his hands in mock-surrender. Audrey let out a heavy breath, placing a hand on her racing heart. "Didn't mean to scare you. What are you doing out of work so early? Did that shop finally close down?"

Audrey frowned. "No, we closed early."

The Captain nodded but he didn't seem too pleased by the news. "I was wonderin' what was going on with that place," he said. "Seems like every time I've come to see you lately he's had you off on some errand."

"We've had a busy week," she lied and then turned and started walking for home again.

"I was actually just on my way to find you," the Captain responded, falling into step beside her and setting a hand in the small of her back. "What did your cousin say about us getting married?"

"I haven't heard back from him yet," Audrey said, grimacing anxiously. She wasn't about to tell the Captain that she hadn't sent a letter to him at all, since she had no address at which to reach him.

"Well he had better hurry," the Captain said. "He's set to deploy in just a few days."

"I know," she said. Honestly that thought hadn't been far from her mind since he had left, and it only made things worse. Even if she did hear back from him in the next few days, the odds were that she wouldn't actually get a chance to see him before he had to leave. The next time she would see him was not for another year when he returned from battle. _If_ he returned... No, she couldn't think like that either.

"I think he's on his way home now, and that's why he hasn't written," she finished, adding on the same hopeful lie that everyone else had offered to her.

"Of course he is," the Captain agreed immediately, his enthusiasm skyrocketing again. "No doubt he hopped on a train the minute he got your letter. I have the marriage license ready and waiting for us, so as soon as he gets back into town we can be married. Then you can be on a plane to America at the same time that he ships off. You'll love it in New York, darlin'. A pretty girl like you will have the time of your life in such a lively place, and my sister is just a bit younger than you. You'll love her."

Audrey couldn't argue that New York City sounded like a wonderful place, and she wanted to visit it so badly, but not under these circumstances. And she highly doubted that anyone related to Captain Allred could be pleasant. "I guess I should spend the afternoon packing up my things then," she said, trying to fake excitement. Her mind was already racing miles ahead of her, far away from their conversation.

"There's a good girl," the Captain said cheerfully, using the arm on her waist to give her an awkward, sideways squeeze. "And I'll come by after the end of my shift, and we can get everything else sorted."

The Captain escorted her the rest of the way back to her flat, his hand firmly planted in the small of her back. He talked the whole time and thankfully didn't care that she hardly responded, content to just talk at her after everything that came to his mind. Audrey meanwhile was making plans of her own, completely separate from the wedding plans that the Captain was making. She was surprised when they stopped in front of the door to her flat.

"I've got to head back to the base, but I'll see you tonight," the Captain said, turning her to face him. Before she had time to process what was happening, he had leaned in and pressed a kiss right at the corner of her mouth. When he straightened up, he grinned and winked roguishly, and then with a quick, " 'Til tonight, darlin'," he turned on his heel and walked out of the building.

For a few minutes, Audrey just stood in front of the door, trying to process what had happened. Had he really-? He had already jumped to the conclusion that they would be married, despite her telling him otherwise, and now he was already planning their wedding and had the audacity to try and kiss her. Audrey shuddered and turned, letting herself into the flat.

Without wasting any time, she headed straight into her bedroom and pulled out her small travel bag. She folded a change of clothes into the bottom, and set her toiletries, her battered book, her little stationary set, and a prepared package of food on top of them. Then she slipped into her cousin's room and opened the drawer in his bedside table, where he'd left the stack of pound notes that would buy her a train ticket north once he'd found a place for her. She tucked them into the top of the bag, donned her warmest coat and sturdiest shoes, and took one last look around the flat.

She was done sitting around and waiting. Something was wrong with her cousin and she was going to find out what it was. She wasn't going to simply sit around and wait for things to work themselves out.

Picking up the bag, she locked up the flat behind her, well aware that it might be the last time she saw it for months. She squared her shoulders and then left the building, heading straight for the train station. She had the name of the last place her cousin had been, the small town called Hareshaw, and he had told her where he'd be going next. She was going to follow his trail until she found him, no matter how long it took.

A handful of soldiers patrolling the train station eyed her curiously as she walked up to the counter and purchased a ticket to Bellingham, the closest station to her destination. "Leaves at two o'clock, miss," the man behind the counter said. Audrey nodded gratefully and then walked over to an empty bench on the platform. There was less than an hour until the train was set to depart, and she had one last thing she wanted to do before she left. She pulled out a piece of paper and her pen, using her book as a writing surface.

_Dear Mr. Teagues,_

_I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to find my cousin. I know there's something wrong and I can't just wait around anymore. I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye. As soon as I find him and get settled, I'll write you again to let you know. Thank you for everything._

She stared at the short paragraph for a long time, trying to think if there was anything else she should add. It felt inadequate, sending him a short note in exchange for everything that he had done for her, especially since her cousin had left, but she didn't have the time for anything better. She couldn't wait another day. With a sigh, she signed the bottom and then folded the letter into an envelope. She hastily scrawled the address of the bookshop on the front and then stood up and approached the group of soldiers who had been staring at her.

"Hello there, miss," a tall, brunet man said, stepping forward from his friends and grinning. "There something I can do for you?"

"Actually yes, if you wouldn't mind," she said. She didn't appreciate the way he was looking at her, but she needed the help. "I need this letter delivered, but I won't have the time to get there and back before my train boards. I don't reckon one of you could take it for me?"

The man cocked his head to the side and eyed her up and down, in a way oddly reminiscent of the Captain. "Well sure, I suppose I could do that," he said, mock pensive. "But you know, if I'm doin' a favour for you, it's only fair that you return it, don't you think?"

"I have a bit of money, I can pay," she said, reaching for her bag. She really didn't like the look he was giving her.

"Nah, money doesn't do me any good," he said and shrugged. "You know what I'd really like? How 'bout a little kiss?"

Audrey stepped back, scowling, and had just rared herself up to shout at him when one of his companions pushed forward, a thin, light brunet man with a sweet smile. "Leave her alone, you ponce," the second man said, elbowing his friend hard in the side. "Having to snog your ugly face isn't worth it, Brody." As the other men laughed at the blond's expense, the second man turned to Audrey. "Sorry about him," he said, frowning. "I'll take that letter for you, if you like. I can drop it off as soon as we finish our shift here tonight."

"Thank you, I'd really appreciate it," she said and she set the envelope in his extended hand. "It's a bookshop, the address is on the front. It'll be locked up, but if you could just stick it under the door...?"

"No trouble, miss," the brunet replied and tucked the envelope into the pocket of his uniform. "Anything for a pretty lady. So, you headed out of the city?"

"Up north," she agreed, nodding.

"Don't blame you there," he said and looked around the dingy station with a frown. "London's not a good place for anyone right now." They both turned as the train's whistle split the air, announcing its approach to the station. "That'll be your train, I reckon? Would you like an escort? To make sure none of these ruffians-" he gestured over his shoulder at the other soldiers, who protested loudly, "harass you, of course."

Audrey cast a half-glance at the other soldiers and then nodded. "Thank you, that's very kind of you," she said. The brunet marched alongside her as they crossed the platform and joined the small queue waiting for the train to pull up to the station. "Are you sure I can't offer you a little money for delivering that letter for me?"

The soldier smiled and shook his head. "Don't bother yourself, miss," he said genially. "I reckon people ought to do nice things for each other more often. We wouldn't get stuck in as many of these wars in the end that way, me thinks." He paused as the screech of the train's brakes filled the station. "'Sides," he added when it had finally quieted again, "I don't know how much longer it'll be before I get sent out to fight, but I know the odds of all us chaps coming back isn't high. I'd rather be remembered for being a nice bloke, you know?"

Audrey felt her heart break for the sweet boy and his frank acceptance of the possibility of his death. "There's nothing I can do to thank you?" she asked.

"Well," he said and grinned, "I know that it's a long shot, but how about this? If you and I ever come back to London, you look me up and let me take you for a dance. No promises, no commitments, just a dance. Yeah?"

"That sounds lovely," she said. The train whistle sounded again and she jumped in surprise. The people that had been queued up around her had all boarded the train and she felt her heart leap. It was time. "Thank you again," she said and grasped his forearm. She leaned forward onto her toes and placed a shallow kiss against his cheek before turning and climbing aboard the train.

Most of the travellers had already settled into carriages. Audrey wandered down the corridor, peering curiously into doors until she found an empty compartment halfway down the train. She shut the door behind her and took a seat by the window, laying her bag on the cushion beside her. Pushing back the thread-bare curtains, she peered out onto the platform. The brunet soldier was still standing in the same place she'd left him and she watched his eyes panning down the line of windows. She waved and a few seconds later his eyes landed on her.

Grinning, he gestured for her to open the window. She fought with the old clasp for a minute before finally managing to tug the small window pane open. The soldier cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "I never got your name, miss."

"Audrey," she called back through the smoky air. "Audrey Parker."

"Lovely to meet you Miss Audrey," he said. "Stan Walters." The train whistle carved through the air again and he glanced ahead at the engine before turning back to her. "So I'll see you when this is all over, yeah?"

"We'll go dancing," she agreed, even as a heavy weight settled in her chest. "Thank you again."

"No, Miss," he shouted as the train's wheels groaned and started moving, "thank you!" The train picked up speed but she kept her eyes on the soldier until the platform disappeared in the smoke. Somehow she knew that they would never see each other again, and they would never share that night of dancing. Closing the window, she leaned back in her seat and prayed that somehow he would make it home safely. Just like her cousin would.

Her mind filled with thoughts of her missing cousin again, she didn't notice when the London skyline outside the windows diminished and was replaced by rolling fields. It was hours later before she realised that she had missed her opportunity for one last look at the city she had always called home, and that it might be a very long time before she saw it again. If it was still there to see when everything was said and done.

Audrey shook herself. There was no reason to think like that. Not yet. Opening her bag, she pulled out her worn book and dove back into her favoured sanctuary of Mr. Darcy's Pemberley estate.


	7. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

_Bellingham Station, Northumberland, England_

It was the middle of the night when the train reached her station, and as it jostled to a stop Audrey woke with a start. She sat up from where she'd been sleeping against the window and squinted through the glass at the station. It was dark and quiet, most people already gone in for the night, and the town beyond was small and rustic compared to home.

Audrey gathered up her bag and disembarked along with a small handful of other people. Just outside the station she spotted a man sitting in a carriage and she hurried towards him. "Excuse me, sir," she said and he glanced down at her curiously. "I don't suppose you could help me. I'm heading to Hareshaw and I could use a ride."

The man's eyebrow arched. "You come back in the morning and I'll take you s'far as you like," he said. "But I don't make trips in there after dark."

"Do you know of anyone who can help me?" she asked. "It's urgent."

"No one 'round here is daft enough to go in there at night," the man said with a dry laugh. "I'm tellin' ya, miss, get a room for the night and save your trip 'til morning. Inns just down that street there."

Audrey huffed irritably and walked away, heading for the other end of the station. At the far edge of town she could see the cluster of dark trees and she could just make out the road that cut through it. The trees looked imposing in the growing darkness and she felt a prickle run down her spine. Perhaps it would be best to get a room in town for the night.

But the longer she waited, the longer Dwight was out there somewhere alone. What if he was sick, or injured? One extra day could make all the difference.

Audrey Parker was no coward. She wouldn't sit passively by when Dwight might be in trouble. Squaring her shoulders, she walked out of town and towards the forest. The trees towered above her as she reached the entrance to the forest road and they cast thick, heavy shadows across her. She cast a quick look back at the little lights of Bellingham, and then turned and plunged into the forest.

It was frightening how quickly the town disappeared once she'd entered the forest. A bend in the road whisked Bellingham from her sight and after a mere mile she was completely surrounded by trees. Even in the darkness, it was easy enough to follow the wide, dirt road that carved its way deeper into the forest.

Audrey trudged on determinedly, ignoring the fear that was needling at her spine. She had never been into a forest before, growing up entirely in London city, and the giant trees were intimidating. Every time a wild animal called in the shadows, she couldn't stop herself from jumping. By the time she was five miles in, she was seriously regretting her decision to come in alone but it was too late to turn back.

Night fell hard over the forest, deepening the shadows until they seemed solid. Audrey gripped her bag handles anxiously and continued on. Part of her expected a pressing quiet to accompany the darkness but instead she found herself surrounded by noise. Rushing water, wind in the leaves, chirps, bird calls, howls, scratching, scraping, rustling. There was noise assailing her from every direction and she found herself turning to look at a new noise every second, making her almost dizzy with the overload.

It was difficult to tell how long had passed except by the growing ache in her legs. She lost track of the hours and miles. All she could do was keep walking, hoping that eventually she would find civilisation again. And that she wouldn't be eaten by a bear along the way.

Audrey was beginning to limp, sure she'd blistered her feet beyond repair, when the road in front of her branched. The path leading off to the west was narrower, torn apart, and riddled with plantlife, as if it hadn't been tended in ages. The trees bent over it to form a tunnel, and through it she could see a towering black edifice silhouetted against the crescent moon.

Was this the place Dwight had come? He had said in his letter that it was a manor south of the village, and she had yet to come across any village in her journey north. How many old manors could there be in one wood? At the very least she had to check, just to see if Dwight had been there. If not, maybe she could get directions to where she needed to be.

As she passed under the natural archway of trees, she felt an ominous prickle go down her back. The manor house was beautiful, in a dark, menacing way. She wondered what sort of person would live in such a place, or who would enjoy such isolation. Although the house looked abandoned and neglected, there was a single light flickering in an upstairs window. At least she knew someone was home.

Her heart was leaping hopefully and she picked up her pace, passing through a yard of grass taller than her hips. In the forest behind her she heard a long, mournful howl and she surged forward in panic. The road was rugged and she stumbled in her haste, one of her ankles turning beneath her but she wouldn't stop. Not when she was so close to safety, and perhaps to Dwight as well.

The thick wooden doors were ornately carved but the black paint had chipped and faded with time. Audrey knocked but was surprised when the door swung inward at her touch. Immediately her nerves went into overdrive. Perhaps the place really was abandoned, and it wasn't the owner but marauders and thieves that had lit the lights upstairs.

For a minute she hesitated on the doorstep, tempted to turn around and run, but then the howling picked up again in the forest and it made the decision for her. She stepped inside and shut the door. Better to risk running into someone here, where there was plenty of space to hide if need be, than to get caught alone in the woods with a pack of wolves and nowhere to run.

"Hello?" Audrey called into the cavernous entrance hall. "I'm sorry to just come in but the door was open. I could use your help. I'm looking for someone."

"This way," a voice spoke up from the shadows. Audrey yelped in surprise, spinning around and looking for the source of the voice in the unlit room. "You're looking for the giant, right?" the voice said and Audrey managed to narrow her search down to the shadows beside the sweeping staircase. "He's this way."

"Dwight's here?" Audrey asked hopefully.

"This way," the voice said again. "Hurry, before he finds you." There was a padding of feet, bare on stone, and it headed deeper into the shadows. Audrey paused, unsure if she should follow, but then the steps stopped. "I'm not going to hurt you," the voice said and his - for she was sure by its depth it was a he - tone had softened. "But your friend is sick and if we don't get him out of here before he gets back..."

"He's sick?" Audrey asked anxiously and she dropped her bag to follow the sound of the voice.

"This way," is all the voice said and then the steps started up again. Audrey followed the sound of the soft footfalls through a series of doorways and corridors. She never saw the person she was following, just the occasional silhouette of a tall, lean figure against the window they passed. He led her completely by tossing, "This way," back over his shoulder.

They had headed down several staircases and the temperature plummeted with every step, until Audrey was huddled in her coat and shivering. "Just a bit further," the voice said and led her down a long, unlit hall. She heard the creak of a door and the dull, flickering light of a candle in a holster on the far wall seemed dazzling against the darkness. "In here," the voice said.

"Thank you," Audrey said.

"Just don't tell him I helped you," the voice said with a dry laugh, and then the padding of footsteps disappeared.

Audrey walked through the open door and found herself in a corridor of doors. Each of them was steel, with little barred windows at eye level. It looked oddly like a dungeon, but that was ridiculous. Who had dungeons anymore? "Dwight?" Audrey asked cautiously, wondering what on earth her cousin would be doing in here. Was this all a trick? Had the voice led her to her doom?

"Audrey?"

The hoarse reply made Audrey's heart jump and she saw a large hand appear in one of the windows, the fingers threading through the bars. Audrey hurried toward the door and in the dim light of the single candle she could just make out her cousin's face through the gap. He looked pale and drawn, dark circles beneath his eyes and sweat on his brow despite the cold. There was dried blood in his hair. "Jesus, Dwight, what happened?" she asked.

"Audrey, you've got to get out of here," Dwight said frantically.

"Not without you," Audrey said. Her attention went to the lock on the door and she wondered if there was a way to pick it. She pulled her hairpin out and started on the lock.

"No, you don't understand," Dwight said but then descended into a fit of coughing. It took him several minutes to recover. "There are monsters here. This place is cursed." His eyes widened. "It's already affecting you. Look at your hair."

Audrey touched her hair and was surprised to feel that it was considerably longer than it had been. When she combed it forward her hair was darkening from blonde to a light, chestnut brown. "What's happening?" she asked, panicked.

"Please, Audrey, go!" Dwight insisted.

"I'm not leaving you," Audrey said firmly and then went back to the lock.

"Who are you?" The coarse voice made Audrey drop her hairpin and she backed against the door in terror. She could just make out a large shadow in the doorframe, just beyond the glow of the candle. Behind her she heard Dwight coughing again and her anger flared.

"Who are _you_?" she snapped back, pushing herself off the door to square up with the figure. "Who do you think you are, locking up sick people in your dungeon?"

"I am the master of this house," the voice responded, a coarse, deep roll. "And you are trespassing."

"I just came to get my cousin," Audrey said, and although she was shaking, she stood her ground. "Let him out and we'll be on our way."

"He came onto my property," the voice said. "Anyone who comes onto this land is trapped. He has to stay. I am granting you a chance. Now leave, before I change my mind."

"Please," Audrey said, switching tactics as Dwight broke down coughing yet again, a rasping, wet noise. "He's sick. He needs a doctor. Just let him go. Let him go and-" Audrey's mind was racing, looking for some way to appease the voice. Right now her only concern was getting Dwight out of here where he could get better. The solution came to her and she straightened her spine, preparing to accept her fate. "Let him go and I'll take his place."

"Audrey, no!" Dwight shouted.

"You would stay in his place?" the growling voice asked.

"Yes," Audrey agreed, while Dwight continued to shout at her from behind. "So long as you promise to let him go. He's a soldier, being deployed for the war in just a few days. Get him back to London so he can see a doctor and fulfil his duty, and I will stay here."

"Audrey, you can't!" Dwight cried.

"Very well," the voice said.

"But first," Audrey said, squinting through the darkness at the shape hovering in the door, "step forward where I can see you."

For a long moment no one moved and Audrey thought that he wouldn't do as she asked. Then slowly he walked forward into the ring of light cast by the candle. As the light crept up his form, Audrey let out a gasp.

The figure in front of her stood and carried itself like a human, but it was clearly far from it. If anything she would've called it a wolf. Short, dark fur covered its body and its head stretched into a compact muzzle, a pair of thick fangs curving down over its lower lip. It stood in a half-crouch, its long hands and feet tipped with sharp claws, and was clothed in only a pair of tattered trousers. As Audrey surveyed it in awe, it stared back at her with piercing blue-gray eyes full of anger.

"Satisfied?" he asked with a condescending smirk. Then he glanced over his shoulder. "Take him. Do as she asked."

Two more figures entered the room and Audrey's mind reeled further. One was tall and lean, with long, dark hair and a scruffy jawline, but his eyes were a glowing, electric silver. The other was short and stocky, but his body was covered in jagged lines. It looked like he had shattered to pieces and been put back together, and badly at that. The silver-eyed man gave her a sympathetic look as the other unlocked the cell door with a ring of keys.

"Audrey," Dwight said, staggering out of the cell and into her arms. "Audrey, you can't do this."

"Dwight," she said, clinging to him, knowing it might be the last time she ever saw him. However she had barely wrapped her arms around him when he was tugged forcefully out of her grip. "Dwight!"

Dwight continued to fight as the two men dragged him toward the door, but despite his strength he somehow couldn't escape. Audrey tried to hurry after him but the wolf man caught her by the arm and stopped her. "You gave your word," he reminded her sharply. "You have to stay here now."

"You didn't even let me say goodbye!" Audrey shouted furiously and before she could stop herself, she'd drawn her fist back and hit him in the chest. The wolf took a step back, scowling and touching the spot she'd struck. Audrey turned away from him, tears welling in her eyes. The sounds of Dwight's struggling were gone. He was gone. She'd never see him again.

Audrey crumpled down to the floor, drawing her legs up to her chest, and buried her face in her knees as she fought back tears. There was a resounding silence in the dungeon block except for her heavy breathing. She almost forgot that she wasn't alone when the wolf man said, "Come." Confused, Audrey looked up at him. "Unless you'd rather stay here," he added pointedly.

Brushing herself off, Audrey stood and straightened out her skirt. The wolf hesitated for a second, staring at her, and then he turned and stalked out of the door. Audrey followed behind him cautiously as they climbed back up the staircases and finally entered the entrance hall. He led her up the grand stairs and through a long series of wide corridors before he finally stopped before a completely nondescript door.

"This is your room," he told her flatly. "The manor is yours, but do not try to leave. The attic is forbidden. Understand?"

"Yes," Audrey said and pulled her coat more tightly around herself.

The wolf shuffled his feet, staring at the wall above her head. Then he cleared his throat. "You will join me for dinner." And with that he turned and walked away.

With nothing better to do, Audrey opened the door to her new room. The bedroom beyond the door was larger than the entire flat she had shared with Dwight, with an enormous four-poster bed and beautiful, matched furniture. Everything was exquisite and on any other occasion Audrey would've taken to exploring the room.

Not today though. Today she had just lost everything she had ever known; her home, her family, her life.

Audrey threw herself down on the bed and finally succumbed to the tears.


	8. Chapter Seven

AN: I hate to ask anything of you guys, but I'm reaching out in my time of need. I've gotten a bid to self-publish my debut novel and have started a kickstarter campaign to raise the funds. If you guys like what you read here on FFN, please take the time to check out my campaign. (You can even read a full draft of the manuscript I'm publishing - pre-editing, of course.) Even if you can't donate, I appreciate you sharing it with friends/family/fellow writers/ etc. so I can hopefully reach my goal and make my dreams a reality.

Thanks, as always, for being the incredibly awesome, devoted fans that you are. You are the reason I even have the courage to try this crazy venture.

Love and gummy bears.

- Artie (Nicki)

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

_English Channel - That afternoon_

Dwight Hendrickson came to slowly, his head throbbing angrily. The world was swaying around him and nausea curled in his stomach. Someone was shouting and as someone shoved his shoulder he felt the world tipping. "Hendrickson, you awake finally?" a voice asked, somehow too loud even over the constant noise around him.

"Where'm'I?" he slurred, blearily forcing his eyes open. Above him was a flat, steel ceiling. He was lying on something hard and scratchy, and as he tried to focus the world pitched again. This time it was accompanied by the sound of water on metal, and the answer came to him in a flash.

"You're onboard the HMS Hunter," the voice responded. Dwight turned his head to see a man standing beside him, swaying slightly with the motion of the ship as he examined a clipboard of papers. There was a white band around his bicep emblazoned with the red cross that signified him as a medic, and the name Lucassi was stitched onto his breast pocket.

"No, I can't be here," Dwight said, sitting up despite every muscle in his body protesting the movement. "I have to go find her."

"Easy there," Lucassi said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You're going to be a bit unsteady until you get some water in you. You're a bit dehydrated."

"No!" Dwight said frantically. "Audrey. I have to save her."

Lucassi frowned and pulled out a pen-torch, flashing it in Dwight's eyes. "A little disorientation is normal," he said. "You had a rather high fever when you were brought aboard. A bit too much drink and a bit too long out in the cold, was it?"

"No, you have to listen," Dwight said. "My cousin, Audrey, she's been captured. There's this thing living in a manor up near Bellingham. A monster. He's taken her hostage. Please, you have to let me go. I need to go find her."

"It's a little late for going awol," Lucassi said, tucking his pen-torch into his pocket and setting down the clipboard. "We're halfway out the Channel. Whatever monster," he said the word with heavy sarcasm, "your cousin is dealing with, she'll have to manage on her own until we come back next year." Then the medic left the small room, shutting the door behind him with a definitive click.

* * *

_Haven House - That night_

Audrey's eyes were burning as she pried them open. It had taken a while but eventually she had run out of tears and now her eyes felt like they had been rubbed with sand. Her entire body ached from her long trek, but most especially her legs and feet, and having slept nearly the whole day had done nothing to make her feel better. She groaned and burrowed herself deeper into the musty blankets of the enormous bed, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep and never wake up.

It wasn't like she really had a life anymore.

Audrey had just pulled the covers over her head when a gentle knock sounded at the door. Remembering her captor's request that she join him for dinner - had she really slept so long? - she shouted, "Go away."

"I'm just bringing you your things, love," a female voice responded. "You left your bag in the foyer."

"Oh," Audrey said, surprised by the new voice. "Um, come in then."

The door opened and provided Audrey with yet another shock. The woman that stepped through was older, her red hair flecked with gray and her face lined. Her eyes were soft and her smile was fond. She wore a high-collared white shirt and black floor-length skirt that seemed oddly old-fashioned to Audrey's eyes. She was also semi-transparent.

"Good evening, dear. Well, it's night now. We thought we'd let you sleep a bit," she said, shutting the door behind her. She carried Audrey's bag over and set it on the cedar chest at the foot of the bed. "I know it's not much, but I thought you might like to have your things. Make yourself feel a little more at home."

"In my new prison?" Audrey asked sarcastically.

The woman frowned. "I know the situation's not ideal," she said, "but keep your chin up. Things will get better, you'll see. You don't seem like the sort of girl to let a thing like this get you down."

Audrey shrugged uncertainly and adjusted her coat. "Are you a ghost?"

"Not quite, but that will work," the woman said with an airy chuckle. "I'm sure you've already figured out that this place is different. We might not look it, but we are still all human here. Even the master."

"That monster isn't human," Audrey said contemptuously.

"There's more to all of this than what you see on the outside," she said gently. "And there's more to him. I know that's hard to see right now with everything you've been through, but one day maybe..." She came around and perched herself on the edge of the bed. "We all think what you did was pretty amazing," she said. "Taking your cousin's place. That was very brave of you."

Audrey felt her eyes sting, although there were no tears left to come out. "He's all the family I have," she said. "What else could I do?"

The woman regarded her thoughtfully. "What's your name, love?" she asked finally.

"Audrey," she said. "Audrey Parker."

"Lovely to meet you, Audrey. My name's Eleanor," the woman said and she extended a hand. Audrey hesitated and the woman smiled kindly. "Don't worry, it won't hurt you," she said. "I'm still corporeal." Audrey's smile was tight in response but she carefully put her hand in the other woman's. It was cold and it made her skin prickle, but she didn't pass through her. "I must say, you're taking this all very well," Eleanor said when they'd dropped their respective hands.

"I keep thinking it all has to be a dream," Audrey admitted. "That any minute I'm going to wake up in my flat and find I fell asleep reading a silly book, and all of this was just some strange dream. Like Alice and her trip to Wonderland."

"Fallen down any rabbit holes lately?" Eleanor asked and there was something mischievous in her smile.

Audrey ignored the joke and surveyed the strange woman again. "What happened to you?" she asked. "To all of you, to make you like this?"

Eleanor straightened up and glanced at her watch. "We'd best hurry or you're going to be late," she said. When Audrey frowned in confusion, she added, "For dinner with the master."

Audrey snorted derisively and folded her arms over her chest. "I'm not having dinner with him."

"But the master said-"

"I don't care what he says," Audrey said defiantly. "He took my life and family away from me, the least he can do is leave me alone."

Eleanor twisted her hands anxiously in her lap for a moment and then she nodded. "If you change your mind," she said, "there are some clean dresses in the wardrobe." Then she stood and walked out of the room, shooting one last kindly look at Audrey before shutting the door behind her.

* * *

Eleanor Carr had been a resident of Haven House long enough to know that the conversation she was about to have was not going to go well. She paced down the corridor, wringing her hands together anxiously, and tried to make the journey last as long as possible. It wasn't so much that she was afraid of the master of the house, it was more that she feared for the house's newest occupant.

Poor Audrey Parker was a unique new addition to the house. Each of the residents had some strange quirk about them, brought on by the dark secrets of their pasts, but so far she seemed to be still completely normal. Apart from being an inordinately brave and determined young woman, anyway. Perhaps... Perhaps she really would be the key to everything.

Of course that made telling the master that she had refused his invitation all the worse.

She reached the door to the dining hall and hesitated for a split second before pushing the door open. Inside she found the long table already set, a fire in the grate illuminating the room with a warm glow. Her two main companions - two of the manor's residents that could still function like humans - were standing against the wall by the fireplace, the older looking tired from his fourteen hour trip to London and back. Her master, who she noted had changed into a pair of trousers that weren't completely shredded, was sitting at the head of the table.

"Master," she greeted with a slight tip of her head as she shut the door behind her.

The master frowned when he realised that she was alone. "Where's the girl?" he asked, his brow furrowing.

"Ms. Parker is not feeling well and wasn't up to having dinner," Eleanor said.

"She what?" the master asked, standing up and planting his fists on the tabletop.

"Try to be understanding, sir," Eleanor reasoned. "She has just lost everything. Her home, her life, her family. This is a lot to take in all in one day."

"She has to eat, does she not?" he asked shortly.

"Of course, but give her some time," Eleanor tried again. "Perhaps in a day or two, when she feels more settled in..." The master growled and slammed a hand against the table, making plates and cutlery jump. "Don't lose your temper with me," Eleanor chided.

"After the hospitality I have shown her, the least she could do was join me for dinner," he growled, dropping down into his chair. "You all did."

"She's different," Eleanor said. "We were given no choice in the matter, not after what we've done. She made the choice to stay here to save someone she loves. And I'm not certain but-" She trailed off, wondering if she should dare go on. It would only be cruel to raise everyone's hopes if she were wrong.

"She's not affected by the manor," Duke said for her, his silver-eyes flashing brighter than the firelight.

The master's head shot up immediately. "She what?"

"Didn't you notice," Duke asked. "Her hair was changing colours, but the moment she agreed to stay, it stopped. Something stopped the curse. But what does that mean?"

"Nothing," the master said, standing up again. His blue eyes were sharp and angry as he straightened himself up to his full considerable height. "It means nothing. She is nothing special, just a naive little girl." And with that he turned on his heel and stormed from the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

There was a resounding, tense silence for several minutes and then Duke cleared his throat. "Yeah, does anyone believe that for a second?" he asked sarcastically.

"His business is his own," Garland said, scratching at one of the cracks that ran through his left cheek idly.

"I think it became our business as well when we all became trapped here," Duke countered. "What if it's something that can free us all, fix this curse?"

"There is no cure," Garland said. "We have made our cots and now we must lie in them. Nothing more than that." Brow furrowed, Garland turned and left the room as well.

"Two peas in a pod they are," Duke said, shaking his head. "What do you think, Eleanor?"

"I think that there is a scared, lonely girl upstairs, and that we should do what we can to make her feel at home," Eleanor said. "That's all that concerns me right now."

Eleanor made to leave the room but Duke stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Let me," he said. "I'm the one who led her into this mess."

"Behave, would you?" Eleanor said, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm hurt," Duke said, putting a hand over his heart even as he grinned. "Really though," he continued more sincerely, "I just want to make sure she's okay. I'm the one who helped take her cousin." Eleanor saw the guilt weighing heavily in his eyes and she nodded in understanding. Duke smiled tightly and then slipped passed her out of the door.

Eleanor watched him go, wondering what they had gotten themselves into. There was clearly something different about this girl, something that had set the master on edge, and she couldn't help but think that this Audrey Parker was the key to changing everything.


	9. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

Audrey sat on the bench in the large bay window, her legs tucked up beneath her and her coat pulled snug around her. She leaned her head against the cold glass, watching night darken the world outside. From her window she could see the expansive gardens behind the manor. It might once have been a beautiful place, but the plants were all overgrown and tangled, obscuring statues and benches and sculpted garden boxes. The moonlit garden was wrapped in vines, contained and constricted.

Audrey could relate.

She couldn't believe that this was the place she was going to spend the rest of her days. It was so dismal and isolated and cold. Eleanor was kind enough, but Audrey longed for more friendship than that. And more than friendship, she had wanted so much more for her life. Adventure, romance, memories. She wanted to see new places and experience new cultures and meet fascinating people. She wanted to find a man who had the same passion for life and spend her life with him.

Instead she was trapped inside a lonely manor with a monster, alone and without freedom.

Still, she reasoned, at least Dwight was safe. She hoped he was back in London already where he could seek a doctor and get better. He could serve his tour of duty and then maybe, when he came home, he would come for her. Surely he wouldn't leave her to rot in this horrid place. She just had to wait until then.

Or perhaps she could escape on her own. What was keeping her here? The other town couldn't be far. She could slip out while it was dark and then make her way into the village. If she ran, she could be there before anyone noticed that she'd gone.

Resolute, Audrey buttoned her coat and slipped out of her room. She looked for familiar landmarks, carefully making her way through the dark manor in search of the main hall. It took her a while, and the occasional sound of footsteps caused her to duck into alcoves or around corners, but eventually she stumbled into the entrance hall. The front door creaked slightly when she opened it and she slid through the crack into the cold night air.

Once she was out of the building she started running down the long drive. The tunnel of trees loomed ahead of her, beckoning her to freedom. She put on an extra spurt of speed, her skirt tangling around her legs as she ran. She reached the tunnel and stepped beneath the cover-

The world suddenly blurred before her and a sharp, crushing pain wrapped around her chest. Audrey gasped and slowed, clutching her ribs as they ached like they were being compressed. She couldn't breath and her heart was hammering in her ears. There was no visible object impeding her but she found it difficult to move, like she was trying to swim through molasses.

It was almost impossible to draw breath and her vision tunneled, darkening at the edges. Head swirling, she took another step but her leg buckled underneath her. Her knees struck the rocky path hard and she tried to draw in a breath but her mouth felt filled with cotton. She was drowning on land, her chest burning as she suffocated in the middle of the pathway.

Something warm encircled her upper arm and tugged, dragging her backwards. The further they got, the more the pressure lessened on her chest and head. Then all at once it was gone and she drew in an overcompensating breath. The hand around her arm pulled and she stumbled backwards, landing hard on her backside in the drive.

Taking in deep breaths, Audrey looked at her arm, which had finally been released. She frowned when she realised that the sleeve of her coat had been torn, pulled away from the shoulder at the seam. "You tore my coat," she panted out petulantly.

"Actually I just saved your life," came the response from behind her. Audrey recognised the voice as the one that had led her to Dwight's cell and she pivoted curiously. Sitting on the road behind her was the tall man with the silver eyes she had seen in the dungeon, breathing hard with his long legs akimbo. He wore pressed brown trousers with a matching waistcoat over his shirtsleeves, all of which were now covered in dirt. "Most people say thank you."

"What was that?" Audrey asked, glancing at the tunnel of trees again. There was still nothing visible there, no indication that it was anything more than a normal passage through the trees.

"That is the reason we're all still here," he said. "Once you set foot on the property, you can't leave without the boss' say-so. Unless he gives you express permission, you're stuck here." He clambered awkwardly to his feet, dusted himself off, and then offered a hand down to her. "Come on, we should get you back inside. This time of night, there are dangerous things in these woods."

Audrey hesitated before taking his hand and allowing him to help her up. "You're the one who led me to my cousin," she said. The silver eyed man nodded, turning to walk back up to the manor. Audrey hurried to fall in step with him. "Thank you. For that and for that," she added and pointed back over her shoulder at the trees.

"I had a feeling you might try to run," he said.

"Why?" she asked curiously.

"Because we all do," he said simply. "But you, a spirit like that. No way were you going to take this whole thing sitting down. Not after what you did to save your cousin. I knew you would try to do a runner as soon as you could."

They walked halfway up the driveway in silence before Audrey looked up at the man again. His long dark hair hung in curtains on the sides of his face and his bright silver eyes glowed in the night shadows. "What's your name?" she asked.

"Duke Crocker," he said with a grin, holding his hand out to her again. "Your name's Audrey, right?" Audrey nodded and shook his offered hand. "Nice to meet you, although I wish it could've been under better circumstances."

"How long have you been here?" Audrey asked.

"Couple years," he responded, plunging his hands into the pockets of his trousers. "Can't tell you for sure, you start to lose track of time after a while." He blew out a heavy breath that crystallized in the air. "You hungry?"

"A little, yeah," she agreed.

"Good, 'cause I was going to make something to eat, but I hate eating alone," Duke said and smiled again.

"But that wolf, your master, won't he-"

Duke snorted and waved a dismissive hand. "Who cares about him?" he said. "Can't let you starve just because he's not a people person. Besides, I'm already on his bad side, it won't make a difference."

Audrey smiled as she followed Duke back into the manor. She was beginning to like this guy. At least she was guaranteed to have one person to talk to while she was stuck here.

Duke led the way through a maze of corridors until he finally opened the door on an enormous kitchen. It had fallen into a bit of disrepair but for the most part it was still a beautiful, extravagant room befitting a manor of this size. Duke gestured to a small table and chairs in the corner of the room before heading straight for the icebox. Audrey settled herself down at the table to watch.

Duke moved around the kitchen with a practiced hand, arranging and preparing things like it was second nature to him. He hardly had to look as he diced vegetables and sliced meat and boiled water. "I was a cook before," he said when he caught Audrey's amazed look. "Before I came here, I worked in a restaurant in central London. I think my cooking is the only reason the boss keeps me around. I am pretty good, if I do say so myself."

"I worked in a bookshop," Audrey said, thinking longingly of Mr. Teagues and his warm, cosy little bookstore. "I was a shop girl. It didn't pay great, but I loved it there. I love books."

"I have some old books in my room, you can read them if you like," Duke offered. "It helps pass the time."

Audrey's eyes lit up eagerly. "Thank you, that would be wonderful," she said. "I only brought one book with me. I wasn't exactly planning on staying."

"No one ever does," Duke said sympathetically. He turned his back on her as he started working at the stove and soon the delicious smell of cooking meat filled the room. Audrey's stomach growled expectantly. They were quiet as Audrey simply breathed in the smell of meat and vegetables, and it wasn't long before Duke was setting a plate on the table in front of her. "_Bon appetit_, Miss Parker."

"This smells wonderful," she said and then took a bite of the tender meat. An appreciative hum escaped her.

Duke grinned again. "I told you, it's the only reason the boss hasn't thrown me out yet. I earn my keep."

Audrey hadn't realised quite how hungry she was, so preoccupied with everything else that had happened, but it had been more than a day since she'd eaten. She tucked in gratefully and she was halfway through the dish before she slowed down. When she glanced up at Duke, he was smirking. "Love a girl with an appetite," he teased.

"Sorry," Audrey said, blushing.

"Don't worry, love," he said. "I know you've not eaten in a while. I'll just take it as a compliment to my cooking."

"It really is delicious," Audrey said gratefully. Duke beamed, his silver eyes flashing beneath the kitchen lights. "If you don't mind my asking...?"

"The eyes?" he guessed. "The people here, we're - troubled. It's what happens to us when we step onto the property." He set down his fork and his gaze was more serious as he stared at her across the table. "The others aren't sure about telling you everything, but I think you deserve to know if you're going to be stuck here."

"This place is cursed or something, isn't it?" she asked, the words feeling strange as they came off her tongue. She had always considered herself open minded but she had never expected to see anything like magic first-hand. Still she couldn't help but think that it was the only possible explanation.

"Right on the nose," Duke said. "I don't know the particulars or how it all got started. The boss hasn't been forthcoming about what happened to him. All I know is that it has something to do with committing crimes. You do something bad, the moment you step on the property you're cursed. It gets each of us different. Eleanor is basically a ghost. Garland is covered in cracks and he falls apart under stress. Literally falls apart. It's strange to watch. And me, I've got silver eyes and a bad reaction to blood."

"Blood?" Audrey asked.

"Contact with it turns me into a bit of a brute," Duke explained. "It feels like my blood catches fire and I get really strong. Less charming though, it does no good for my temper, and the crash afterward is terrible."

"What did-?" Audrey stopped and hastily swallowed the rest of her sentence.

"What's my dirty secret?" Duke finished for her. "It's okay, I'm not offended. I've had a long time to come to terms with it. I'm a deserter. Got my call to duty but the night before I was supposed to ship out, I lost my nerve. Ran north to try and escape. Ended up here and I've been trapped here ever since." He shook his head. "I was a bit surprise to hear your cousin's a soldier. Is the war not over yet?"

"It's only been on a year now," she said, confused. "I thought you said you'd been here for several years."

"That's not possible," he countered, frowning. "It'd been on nearly three when I came here, and that was a long time ago."

"How long?" Audrey asked suspiciously.

"Summer 1917," he admitted, not able to meet her gaze.

Audrey's jaw dropped. "You've been here more than twenty years?" she asked. "How is that possible? You aren't nearly old enough."

"I don't think time moves the same here," Duke said, finally looking up at her again. "Eleanor's been here since before the turn of the century, and Garland was here before her. I don't even want to imagine how long the boss' been here. Time keeps going and we just stay the same." He caught her frightened look and his expression softened. "Don't worry though, I don't think it'll affect you the same. I mean, you're still normal, aren't you?"

"I haven't noticed anything different," she said hesitantly. "Except well-" she twisted a piece of her now brown hair around her fingers pointedly. "What does that mean?"

"Honestly? I have no idea," he said. "The boss wouldn't say, although I think he knows. I mean, have you ever committed a crime?"

"No, of course not," Audrey said and then winced. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

Duke chuckled. "Don't worry, you'll find I'm hard to offend," he said. "A few years in this place will do that to you. The boss isn't exactly handing out compliments like candies." Audrey's face darkened at the mention of her captor. "I know he's not your favourite wolf-person right now, but it's really not so bad around here. He may not make a great first impression, but he does take care of us. And you know, if you just have dinner with him once, he'll leave you alone."

"I don't want to have dinner with him once," Audrey said stubbornly. "In fact I'll be perfectly fine if I never see that thing again."

Duke smiled tightly and held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, fair enough," he said. He glanced at her empty plate and then at the darkened window. "Come on, it's late. You should get some sleep. In the morning I'll give you a tour of the place, yeah?"

Audrey nodded and stood, letting Duke place a guiding hand on the small of her back as he led her back to her room.

* * *

In his chambers at the top of the manor, the master of the house turned away from the mirror on the wall. The sheet of glass showed the image of the manor's kitchen, Duke and Audrey's backs visible as they headed for the door. "That is enough," he said.

"Yes, sir," the mirror responded. The image cleared and in its place was the face of a young woman, her pale, pointed face framed by short, dark hair. "Sir, if you don't mind my asking, why her? What's so special about her?"

"I don't know," he said. He dropped to all fours, pacing in front of the mirror. "But she is different. Different than anyone else. She's the only person here who chose to be here. And I-" He stopped and touched his chest lightly where she had struck him the night before.

"Do you think she could be the one?" the mirror asked.

The master growled and stopped as abruptly as if he'd hit a wall. "There is no _one_," he said, his tone weak and disheartened. "You heard her. She wants nothing to do with me, and who can blame her?"

"Give her time, sir," the mirror said gently. "Maybe when she's calmed down you could talk to her. Explain everything."

"It is over, Jennifer," he said firmly. "A girl like her could never love a monster like me." The mirror opened her mouth but he silenced her with a snarl. "Leave me. Morning is coming."

"Yes sir," the mirror said and she faded from the glass. The moment she'd gone a look of hopeless despair washed over the master's face. He dropped heavily onto a dusty settee and let his head fall into his hands. It was no use, nothing he could do would change what had happened. The girl, as insufferable and difficult as she was, still deserved better than him.

Like he had told his looking glass, it was over.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

A knock at the door woke Audrey late the following morning. She unburied herself from the almost sinfully comfortable pillows and glanced at the door. "Who is it?" she asked uncertainly. If it was the master of the house come to bully her into a dinner date...

"Eleanor, dear," was the reply.

"Oh, come in," Audrey said, hastily straightening out her skirts to be more presentable.

The door swung in and Eleanor stepped into the room, carrying a tray of food. She smiled kindly as she walked over and set the tray on the mattress in front of Audrey. "Duke sends his regards as well as breakfast," she said, gesturing at the steaming toast and eggs. "He would've come himself but he had some business to attend to. He says as soon as he's finished he will come and give you the grand tour."

"Thank you, this is lovely," Audrey said gratefully. As much as she tried to hate the place, she couldn't deny that at least her new friends were wonderful people. She tucked into the breakfast eagerly.

"Also I thought you might want to get tidied up," Eleanor added. She eyed Audrey's wrinkled, dirty dress pointedly and then walked over to the wardrobe. When she opened it Audrey was surprised to see it full to the bursting with dresses of every colour and style. "It's how I pass the time here," Eleanor explained at her awestruck look. "The younger ladies like to keep up with the latest trends, even if no one sees us."

"How do you know the trends, if you can't leave this place?" Audrey asked curiously, picking up a piece of buttered toast.

"That would be my doing." Audrey jumped at the unexpected voice. A figure had appeared in the full-length mirror that hung inside the wardrobe, a pretty little brunette with a soft smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you but I can't exactly knock," the girl in the mirror said.

"You're - you're in a mirror," Audrey said, standing up to approach the wardrobe cautiously.

"Audrey, meet Jennifer Mason," Eleanor introduced with a slight wave of her hand.

"Welcome to Haven House," Jennifer said with a slightly sardonic smile. "We're all a bit odd here. I didn't mean to intrude but I could hear you talking about clothes. I'm the one who helps them see what the world looks like outside. See, I can show people images, or at least I can when the master gives me permission. I show Eleanor what the ladies dress like outside and she makes clothes for everyone." The girl glanced down at her own gold, bustled dress, and shrugged. "Well everyone but me, that is."

"This is incredible," Audrey said, reaching out to touch the glass. Although her fingertips landed where the girl's forearm was, she couldn't feel anything but the smooth, cool glass. "So you live in my mirror?"

"Not just this mirror," Jennifer said hastily. "Any mirror inside the manor. I can move between them, and I can hear through them all."

"Now, dear, let's get you ready," Eleanor said. "You can't keep wearing that poor dress. Pick one, any one you like."

Audrey looked through the dresses in wonder. It was like a time capsule of fashion from the last hundred years, from chic modern dresses to demure regency era dresses and everything in between. Never one to be genuinely interested in clothes, Audrey was a bit overwhelmed by the choices. She was just about to give up and ask Eleanor's help when her eyes landed on a dress.

It was a short, drop-waisted dress in a light beige. It hung longer in the back than the front, with a sheer overlay decorated with flowers made of glittering beads. It was the sort of beautiful finery that didn't exist in fashion anymore. After all, with a war on money wasn't wasted on frivolous fashion decorations. She pulled it out, running her fingers over the silky fabric. "My mother had a dress like this," she said quietly. "I remember her wearing it one night to go out with her friends."

"You lost her?" Jennifer asked gently.

"When I was five," Audrey said. "I barely remember her, but I remember that dress. How beautiful she looked in it."

Eleanor took the dress and held it up against Audrey's chest. "I think it'll look lovely on you, dear," she said. "Come on, I've had Garland bring up some water to get you washed." Audrey wolfed down the last of her breakfast and then Eleanor led her down the hall and into a shower-room, the floor made of sleek, porcelain tiles and a partition set up to separate the shower area from the dressing room.

While Eleanor hung the dress on a rack, Audrey explored the shower stall curiously. There were no pipes or nozzles. A narrow wooden shelf held a bar of homemade soap flecked with lavender. "I don't understand," Audrey said, leaning around the partition to glance at Eleanor.

"You're probably used to fancier bathing rooms," Eleanor said understandingly. "Duke's told me that things have changed a lot in the world, and that was back when he was there. But this house hasn't been updated for those advancements." She gestured at a row of water buckets and a stepping stool, and Audrey's eyes widened in comprehension.

Stepping back behind the partition, Audrey undressed and handed her dirty clothes to Eleanor around the screen. Then she stood in the open shower area while Eleanor dumped a bucket of water over the top of the partition onto her head. The water was barely above freezing and Audrey gasped in alarm, breaking out in gooseflesh all over her body.

"Sorry dear," Eleanor said from the other side of the screen as Audrey began scrubbing herself with the bar of soap. It was scratchy but smelled fantastic. "I should've warned you, the water is cold."

"Thanks for that," Audrey said sarcastically. She finished washing herself and then Eleanor dumped two more buckets of the frigid water over her head to rinse her off. It was a relief when Eleanor handed her a towel and Audrey could get the cool water off her skin. She dried herself off and wrapped her hair in the towel, and then Eleanor helped her into the dress.

When Audrey stepped in front of the mirror she stopped up short. With her hair pulled up into the towel and wearing the decades ago dress, Audrey was struck by just how much she looked like her mother. She barely remembered her mother at all, but the photograph she had kept in her bedside table showed a woman with the same strong cheekbones and bright blue eyes, only her hair had been considerably darker.

"You look lovely, dear," Eleanor said. "Now come, let's do something with your hair and then you can be off to explore with Duke." They peeled off the towel and Audrey startled slightly. It was the first time she'd seen the full transformation of her hair and it caught her off guard. Several inches longer than it had been, it was slightly wavy and a bright, cinnamon brown, save for one section on the right side that was still blonde.

"It was the curse, wasn't it?" Audrey asked, touching the strip of blonde hair. Behind her Eleanor's expression gave her the answer. "Why this? My hair? And I haven't done anything wrong, why did it affect me?"

"Everyone's done something bad in their life," Eleanor said sagely. She picked up a brush and began drawing it through Audrey's hair. "None of us are perfect, some more than others. And each of us, our crimes match our punishment in a way. I would imagine yours does too."

Audrey pondered that as Eleanor combed her hair back into a complex knot at the base of her head. Eleanor smiled at her fondly in the reflection. "Beautiful," she said. Then she patted Audrey's shoulder. "Come on, Duke will be waiting and he tends to cause trouble when he's left alone for long."

When they reached the entrance hall of the manor, Duke was standing there talking to the other man Audrey had seen in the dungeon. He was considerably older than Duke, with gray hair and prominent eyebrows over eyes that flashed like shards of ice. His skin was divided into small chunks by narrow fissures that created webs across his entire body. He was dressed, Audrey noticed, in a style that would've fitted nicely in her favourite book, with his tailed coat and frilled necktie.

"Ah, there she is," Duke said brightly when he saw them coming down the stairs. "I almost didn't recognise you, Audrey."

"Behave yourself, Crocker," Eleanor warned, shaking her head.

"I was just paying the lady a compliment," Duke said with a shrug. They joined the two men and Duke gave Audrey an approving once-over. "You really do look wonderful though. That dress suits you nicely."

"Thank you, Duke," Audrey said, smiling softly at her new friend.

"Audrey, I don't believe you've met Garland," Duke said, gesturing at the older man.

"You're the one who took my cousin," Audrey said, a bit furtively.

Garland didn't try to deny it, nodding shortly. "He arrived back to London and was picked up by members of his battalion. He is on board his ship to the war now."

Audrey nodded, trying to make sense of that. Part of her was elated that Dwight had made it to London and would be receiving the medical attention he needed. The other part of her was horrified that he was on his way into the warzone, where he might be taken from her in a more permanent fashion. "Thank you for taking care of him," she finally said. Garland nodded, and then turned and walked away without a word.

"He's not good with people either," Duke said dismissively. "Well, what do you say we begin the tour?" He offered an arm out to her and Audrey set her hand in the curve of his elbow with a smile.

Duke gave her a comprehensive tour of the entirety of the manor and its grounds. He led her through the maze overgrown gardens and to a stable that housed two horses, tended to by a woman named Jess who spoke only in animal voices. Then he showed her through the ground floor of the manor house, from a grand ballroom to an elaborate dining hall to several sitting rooms.

"Rooms like this," Duke cautioned her as they walked along a hall in the first floor, pointing to a door with a strange symbol - a circular maze with a figure at each compass point - painted on its surface, "you'll want to stay out of. That sign means there's a troubled person in there who is dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Audrey asked.

"Yeah, you see some of us aren't as passive as others," he explained sombrely. "Eleanor, Garland, and I, our troubles don't affect other people. But some of the people, the curse affected them differently. Like this room. The man on the other side, his shadow kills people."

"His shadow?" Audrey asked in shock.

Duke nodded grimly. "Took down three of us before we realised what was happening," he said. "So now he has to be kept in total darkness so he doesn't have a shadow." They started off down the hall again and Duke shook his head. "There's others. One who causes lightning strikes, one who causes a disease in anyone he touches, one who causes paralysing fear in anyone who looks at her. So we give them room, feed them, and try to keep them as comfortable as we can. Still, it's best to leave them alone."

"Why would he keep them here?" Audrey asked in horror. "Why wouldn't he just let them go? Living a life trapped in one little room, alone? That's terrible."

"He has, but our troubles don't go away when we leave," Duke said. "Garland has left several times and he's still the same. It's why most of us stay here even if he lets us go, because leaving would just endanger people. It's safer here, whether we like it or not."

"Has he let you leave?" Audrey asked.

Duke cleared his throat and looked down the hall. "Have I shown you the conservatory yet?"

Letting his change of subject slide, Audrey was led into a large room made of paneled glass. It was full of overgrown plantlife, vines creeping over the wrought iron furniture that was set up in the room. Enormous, brilliantly coloured flowers hung from every corner of the room and it smelled of freshness and earth.

"Garland tends it," Duke said with a grin. "It's his hobby. Eleanor makes us all clothes, Garland takes care of the grounds as best he can."

"And you cook," Audrey said.

Duke eyed her appraisingly. "We'll need to find you a hobby. Something to help you pass the time without going crazy. And you know, I think I have just the thing. But I'm saving that for the end."

He led her through hundreds more rooms, giving her a look in each one that wasn't marked with the maze sign. There was every room imaginable in the manor, from a music room containing a gorgeous grand piano to a room filled with fabrics where Eleanor made her clothes to a room that simply contained nothing but a window that opened out to a little balcony with a splendid view of the back gardens and forest.

"This place apparently dates all the way back to the 1400s," Duke said as they ambled down another hall. Audrey was only half-listening; something had caught her attention. On the right side of the corridor there was a large curtain, but around the edge of it she could see that it was hiding a narrow staircase. She started toward it curiously.

"No!" Duke shouted in alarm, grabbing her by the arm. When Audrey looked at him his silver eyes were wide with panic. "Don't go up there," he cautioned. "That leads to the attics, and they're completely off limits."

"What's up there?" Audrey asked.

"Nothing that concerns any of us," Duke said simply. "That's the master's one rule: never go to the attics. It's the only thing he asks of us, so we respect it. Do you understand that?"

As much as her curiosity was burning for her to investigate further, Audrey was startled by the severity in Duke's gaze. Swallowing hard, she nodded.

Duke visibly relaxed at her agreement and his smile came back. "Come on, I've got something better to show you," he said. He led the way to the end of the corridor, where a set of double doors stood. He flashed her a brilliant grin before throwing the doors open with a flourish.

The room beyond made Audrey's heart soar. Every single wall was comprised of a shelf, each of them full to the bursting with books. Directly across from the doors was a wide fireplace surrounded by a semi-circle of comfortable armchairs. It was the sort of place she had only ever dreamed of and she put her hands to her mouth in awe. "This is amazing," she breathed, taking tentative steps into the room, afraid to break the spell of whatever magic had brought her to this magnificent place.

"I think I found your hobby," Duke said, following her into the room. "You think all these books can keep you entertained for a while?"

"This is like a dream come true," Audrey admitted, running her fingertips along the nearest row of books, feeling the rise and fall of the spines beneath her skin. "You have to teach me how to get here from my room."

Duke smiled and acquiesced. They traveled the path from her room to the library and back four times until she was positive she could find it on her own. After dinner, which she ate in the kitchens with Duke again, she went back to the library and spent the rest of the night buried in a book as outside the wolves howled into the dark.


End file.
